


Morningside

by SydniDawn



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-01
Updated: 2016-01-01
Packaged: 2018-05-10 20:32:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 21,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5599852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SydniDawn/pseuds/SydniDawn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Raven is having a lazy morning when there is an unexpected knock at her door.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

“Mom is going to kill me.”

  
Clarke can almost hear both Blake siblings roll their eyes on the other side of the phone. Bellamy and Octavia have been in her life for as long as she could remember, sharing in the greatest of triumphs, and teasing her over her greatest of screw ups. After seventeen years, they feel more like siblings than good friends.

  
Bellamy voice filters through the phone almost immediately. “She won't. Not if you don't tell her.”

“Have you MET Aunt Abby?! She always just _knows_ when Clarke does something bad.” Octavia is just as quick with her response.

  
“Exactly! Skipping school, stealing the car and driving to another city? I'm getting grounded for sure.” Clarke chews on her bottom lip, “And that's not even counting the—what, four felonies I've committed just to get the address.”

  
The younger girl counts them off, “Bribery, blackmail, forgery, fraud, and obtaining information by illegal means. That's five.”

  
“Thanks, Octavia.” Clarke deadpans.

  
Clarke hears Octavia yelp in pain, before Lexa's voice comes through. “If you're doubting this, why don't you come home? We can figure something else out.”

  
“No, I…” She shakes her head, as she tightens her grip on the steering wheel. “It has to be me, and it has to be today. If Mom's test finds something…”

  
The seriousness of the unspoken statement settles on them. Sometimes hope gets the best of people, corrupting the wants and needs of those who dared to dream. Clarke could not let that happen, not now. There was too much weighing on what she had to do.

  
Clarke takes a deep breath. “Okay, I'm going.”

  
“Good luck! It’ll be fine.” Octavia Blake, ever the optimist.

  
“If you need anything—”

  
She cuts Lexa off. The older girl is so protective of her, which is something Clarke loves about her. But she needs to be strong for herself right now, and so she catches herself before falling into Lexa’s safety net.

 

“Thanks, you guys. I'll call you on my way back.” She hangs up without another word.

 

The teenager takes another deep breath. Clarke doesn't have much of a plan, just a general idea, and a lot of questions without answers. It takes her another five minutes before she steps out of her car.

 

The blonde isn't quite sure how she made it to the front door in one piece; by the time her hand starts to move, she can feel her whole body shaking.

 

“Come on, Griffin. You're just knocking, relax.” Before Clarke can second-guess herself again, she reaches up, and knocks.

* * *

 

There was nothing better to Raven than lounging at home. Lazy mornings are rare in her life, and so she milks it for everything it’s worth. The mechanic (ingenious mechanic, if she did say so herself) was just settling in with a mug of coffee… when there's a knock at her door.

 

“God freaking damn it!” The 35 year old takes her time walking to answer; she had made it through one full month of nonstop projects, flying back and forth across the country with no time in between. She deserves one morning of peace.

 

She tugs at the door with more force than was required, coming face to face with an incredibly nervous-looking blonde teenager.

 

“Umm... hi?”

“Hi. Are you Raven Reyes?” The girl is putting on a brave face. Beneath a layer of determination, the brunette watches worry play behind her eyes.

 

The brunette tries to shake off her annoyance, “Yeah, I am.”

  
“Good, I was kinda hoping this was the right place.” The determination is back full force as she holds out her hand to shake.

  
“Nice to meet—”

  
The teenager cuts her off. “I think I'm your daughter.”

  
“Excuse me?!” Raven yanks her hand back in a hurry. “I'm sorry, but you are seriously deranged if you think you're my daughter.”

  
Clarke crosses her arms, frowning at the change in the older woman. “You're named as my parent.”

  
“You must have the wrong Raven Reyes. I don't have a kid.” Raven must be in a nightmare; there’s no way this is actually happening.

 

The brunette only manages to start her walk back inside when the blonde speaks again.

  
“So are you saying you WEREN'T engaged to a woman named Abby twelve years ago? You know, my other mom?”

  
Raven’s blood runs cold; her arms falling to her sides, her left hand tugging at the leg of her sweatpants as she closes her eyes. It takes her far longer than she cares to admit before she can face the teenager again.

  
“Clarke.” The name came out in a sigh.

  
Clarke’s eyes flash in anger. “Looks like I'm not so deranged after all.”

  
Raven bows her head. “I didn't mean that, I just... I wasn't expecting to ever see you again.” This is even worse than a nightmare; this is the reality she’s been running from for years.

  
“Yeah.” She nods once. “I'm right there with you.”

  
They are statues on either side of the doorway: Clarke with her arms crossed, obviously jumping between emotions as the seconds ticked by, while Raven leans on the door jam, carefully sidestepping every thought of the distant past that played through her mind.

 

Twelve years of moving on was undone with one knock on the door, and no matter how much she tries, Raven can’t change that. The mechanic looks hard at the kid in front of her, then sighs.

“I assume you're here for a reason, right?” Against her better judgement, the brunette nods toward the open door. “I have a couple hours free.”

  
Clarke is all too eager to walk inside, leaving Raven to follow at a slowed pace.

 

Some days it REALLY doesn’t pay to get out of bed.

* * *

  
  
“You hungry? I don't have much, but I think there's enough for breakfast.” Being a hostess isn’t exactly her strong suit, but she figures that would be enough for a seventeen year old.

  
Clarke gives an awkward shrug, cavalierly dropping her stuff on the floor while poking around the main level. “I never say no to Monkey Toast.”

  
Raven has to laugh. The morning after they'd met, Raven had cooked Abby this out-of-this-world-amazing stack of breakfast food. It could generally be considered French toast, but with more of a cinnamon bun and chocolate chip pancakes taste to it. In her culinary delight, Abby had nicknamed the meal 'Grease Monkey Toast', and never gone back.

  
“Abby still calls it that?” Raven shifts her weight onto her right, using her left for stability as she ducks to grab the pan from her cupboard.

  
Clarke quirks a smile. “She even makes an ungodly mess on purpose. She says it makes it authentic.”

  
They both laugh, before the teenager's expression sours.

  
“She hasn't really made it in a while, though.”

  
An uneasy tension fills the room, and the brunette has to fight everything in her not to pry. Even after all that time, Raven knows to let Clarke come to her, instead of forcing the issue. And so, in the bowels of her kitchen, Raven turns back to the meal, adding vanilla, and a hint of orange juice to the mixture.

  
“Don't you have school today?”

 

Safe topics first, heavy stuff later… Or never. Raven would prefer never.

  
“This is a school project. Get to know your parents.”

  
She can tell Clarke is lying before she even finished speaking. As a toddler, her little girl would always twitch the side of her mouth when she wasn't being truthful, a mannerism she shares with Abby.

 

Raven decides to let it slide for the moment. “What, is Jake too busy, or something?”

  
Clarke’s entire being darkens; her voice dropping to just above a whisper. “My dad died last year.”

  
That takes the wind right out of her. Raven opens her mouth to respond, but Clarke continues.

  
“He wasn't wearing his seatbelt, and got into a car wreck. He went through the windshield.”

  
Raven lowers her gaze sadly. After having a rocky start, she and Jake had become quite close while raising Clarke. “That's awful. Your dad was a good guy.”

  
Clarke’s head whips up in surprise, her brow knitting deeply. “You knew him?”

  
“Umm, yeah. We did the co-parenting thing for a long time, and he even came to stay with us when his roof caved in.” Raven moves back to the stove, and forces her voice into something akin to nonchalance. “Did he and Abby ever…”

  
“They got married when I was nine.” Clarke watches her closely. “I got to be the flower girl.”

  
“Oh. That's…” She struggles to find the right words. “Good for them.”

  
The blonde lets her stew in her obvious regret for a moment, before she throws her a bone.

  
“My grandparents forced them into it. The whole common law relationship wasn't working with their rich, country club image.” She shrugs. Her mom’s parents weren’t the greatest; they cared far too much about their image and their second estate in the Hamptons than they probably should have, but they also cared about Abby’s well-being. In their misguided way, they were always trying to make sure Abby did what was best for her.

 

“Mom and Dad loved each other, but only as best friends.”

  
Raven lets out a shaky breath. This hadn’t even been in the realm of what she’d imagined for her peaceful morning.

  
“How did you meet?” At Raven's backward glance, Clarke clarifies. “My mom, I mean.”

  
“You don't want to know that story.” The mechanic turns her attention back to the food.

  
The seventeen year old makes a show of pulling a notebook out of her backpack.

  
“It's for school, remember?” Abby's cheeky half smile plays on Clarke's lips, and Raven knows she's a goner.

 

Abby’s smiles came in three categories: warm and cute, devious, and maddeningly sexy. The first felt like home; they radiated safety and love in ways Raven couldn’t describe. The second was the most dangerous. Anything from a trivia fact to a dirty joke warranted a devious smile, giving Abby the power to disarm anyone's defenses. As a personal rule, Raven tried not to think about the last category.

 

Clarke’s smile was all devious; and the mechanic doesn't bother to fight the urge to give in.

  
The brunette rolls her eyes, trying to feign inconvenience. “Fine, you win. It was just under eighteen years ago, and The Ark got hit with a serious storm…”

* * *

 

_Raven had been driving along in a torrential downpour, when she saw a car stalled at the side of the road. At first, the 18 year old hadn't seen anyone, assuming the driver had found a way home. But as she got closer, she could see a woman standing out in the rain, looking about as miserable as the weather._

_The young woman rolled down the passenger window and slowed as she drove. “You could catch a cold standing out here like that.”_

_  
_ _Abby gave her a slow shrug, “The only constant in my life just died on the side of the road. I don't really have it in my to care right now.”_

 _  
_ _That got her attention. In an instant, Raven was pulling up in front of the stalled vehicle, grabbing her umbrella, before she trudged out into the rain._

 _  
_ _“Hey, you know Sinclair, right?”_

 _  
_ _Abby nodded briefly. Her best friend Callie had introduced her to the engineer a few months earlier, and then dragged her to a party at his apartment not too long after that. If she thought about it, Abby could distinctly remember the younger brunette winning a drunken bet with the rest of the Physics majors just as Abby had followed Jake Griffin into one of the spare bedrooms._

 _  
_ _The intern shut her eyes tight, letting her head fall back against the hood of her car._

 _  
_ _“Are you okay?” Raven frowned._

 _  
_ _“Yeah…” She looked almost peaceful leaning back against her car; head thrown back as rain poured down her face. “No, not at all.”_

 _  
_ _The mechanic watched Abby carefully, her eyes widening as she took in how the stranger hands fell to her stomach, and cradled her middle, caressing it almost lovingly._

 _  
_ _“So... Come here often?” Raven took a shot in the dark with her joke, hoping it would be well-received._

 

_She was elated to see a smile creep onto the other woman's face._

_  
_ _“Oh yeah, all the time.” Elation quickly gives way to despair as the smile disappeared. “Especially after my parents kick me out.”_

 _  
_ _Raven gaped at her._

 _  
_ _“What?! But you're pregnant!” She was quick to backtrack, as she gestured wildly toward Abby's hands on her middle. “I mean, I don't want to assume…”_

 _  
_ _The older woman shut her eyes miserably. “Yes, I'm pregnant. That's why they did it.”_

 _  
_ _She threw her voice to mimic her mother's pinched, high pitch. "Abigail, how could you throw your life away like this?! You are right in the middle of your time as a resident in the ER; you were on the fast track to a promising career, and now it's gone."_

 

_She uselessly wiped the tears from her eyes._

_  
_ _“I don't even know why I'm telling you all of this. I don't even know you.”_

 _  
_ _Raven gave her a soft smile, while holding her hand out to shake. “I'm Raven.”_

 _  
_ _The older woman hung her head, but dutifully shook her hand. “Abby. Only my parents call me 'Abigail'._

 _  
_ _“I like Abby better.”  And she really did._

 _  
_ _The defeated shrug was back again._

 _  
_ _Raven scuffed her boot against the ground. “I don’t mean to be blunt, but you do NOT look old enough to be in med school, let alone an resident.”_

 _  
_ _“I skipped two grades when I was little.” Abby said wryly._

 _  
_ _That was pretty impressive, actually. Most people in Arcam—or ‘The Ark’, as the defiant non-Latin speakers called it—weren't overachievers. They grew up, they found jobs, and continued living the monotonous life their parents had._

 

_It was rare for anyone to reach for more._

 

_“Not bad.” Raven pointed to herself. “Youngest mechanic in the state in 52 years.” She shrugged. “Not to brag, or anything.”_

_  
_ _Abby humoured her with half a smile. It didn't take long for Raven to realize she needed to take a different approach._

 _  
_ _“Abby, how do you feel about pizza?”_

 _  
_ _“I…” She blinked at Raven. “I'm sorry?”_

 _  
_ _“You know, pizza. An Italian dish made of a flat dough, baked with toppings on the top.” A cheeky smile played on her lips._

 _  
_ _“Oh, of course. That pizza.” There was finally a lightness in her voice. “I love it, but I can't really account for my aversions right now.”_

 _  
_ _“That's okay.” Raven nudged her. “Maybe we could move all your stuff into my truck, and then figure out which Italian delicacy your_ baby _loves?”_

 _  
_ _Abby looked as though she was ready to agree, but a glance between her car, and Raven's made her hesitate._

 _  
_ _Right. Abby had said it was her only constant. “Don't worry about your car. I'll get my friend to tow it to the garage, and I'll fix it myself.”_

 _  
_ _The resident visibly relaxed in response to Raven's caring smile. It was the first time in a while that anyone had showed her unrestrained kindness. Even if nothing came of it, Abby would try her best to appreciate it._

 _  
_ _“In that case, pizza would be great. Thank you, Raven.”_


	2. Chapter Two

“So you went for dinner, then you just decided to start seeing each other?” Clarke doesn't mean for her question to come off as offensive. But a whirlwind romance isn't exactly what she'd hoped for with her 'project'.

  
“Not exactly.” Raven shrugs. “I let her stay over, and we ended up talking all night.”

  
Curiosity gets the better of her before she can stop it. “What did you talk about?”

  
“A lot of stuff.” Raven moves to put the her food in the oven. “We sort of started off slow; Abby was worried about being a single mom with no support, so I tried to ease into it.”

  
Clarke quirks a smile, “My mom is still like that sometimes. She gets all raw, and sensitive about whatever, and then you have to wait her out.”

  
The mechanic nods, “She wants to talk—”

  
Clarke finishes her sentence, “—but she doesn't know how.”

  
“That was always weird. Abby is always pushing down her feelings, and taking care of everyone else until it's appropriate for her.”

  
Raven refills her mug of coffee, and doesn't hesitate to make one for Clarke as well. She can only guess that the blonde takes her coffee the way Abby did. The teenager doesn't say a word as she stirs in milk, and a ridiculous amount of sugar, so she figures it’s fine.

  
“When I'm upset, I'm totally in the moment.” 

  
“Huh.”   
  


The mechanic eyes her as she hands off the mug. “'Huh' what?”

  
“I thought I grew out of all your traits after you left.” The teenager gives her a pointed look as she sips from the mug.

  
That stings more than Raven expected it to.

  
“Did you meet dad right away?”

  
'Ouch again', Raven thinks as she fights back a wince. 'This girl's batting a thousand.'

  
“No, I think Jake and Thelonius were at the Griffins cottage for the summer.” Raven smiles as a memory flooded through her mind. “I remember Sinclair and some of the other guys wanted to bring the party to them for the summer, which meant us girls had free reign of the town for a couple weeks.”

  
That seems to lighten the mood. The blonde can't help but groan as she laughs. “Oh man, Aunt Callie must have had a field day!”

  
“Actually, Cece spent most of those two weeks with us.” Raven hops up on the counter. 

 

Clarke thinks she hears the clink of metal against granite as the older woman connected, but she couldn't place it. 

  
“Tell me Aunt Callie was nice to you. She's really protective of mom, and it comes off kind of bitchy.”

  
“She was—” She took a generous sip of coffee as she searches for the right words. “—a bit more than nice…”

* * *

  
_ After  they had taken all of Abby's things over to the Cartwigs' and sorted through it, she and Callie brought the bare essentials back over to Raven's apartment just two weeks after they met. _

_   
_ _ Cece bumped the suitcase up another step. “Have you told your Chief yet?” _

_   
_ _ Abby retied her hair in her bun with a groan. “That was harder than telling my parents. Dr. Wallace said he would be fine with me taking fewer on-calls later on, but I have to clear scheduling with the attendings.” _

_   
_ _ “At least he is being nice about it.” She bumped it up another step. _

_   
_ _ “Dante, yes.” Abby rolled her eyes. “But his son is one of those attendings, and he's using it as a platform to keep the number of women in the program to a minimum.” _

_   
_ _ “What a dick!” _

_   
_ _ Abby smirked. “That's exactly what Raven said.” _

_   
_ _ Callie gave her one of her best eyerolls. “I can't believe you're moving in with a kid.” _

_   
_ _ She was in a huff as she continued to drag the first of Abby's two heaviest suitcases up the last of the stairs to the garage apartment. _

_   
_ _ The doctor huffed out a clarification as she struggled with her large duffle bag. “She's eighteen, she's been emancipated for two years, and I'm not moving in.” She muttered sheepishly, “I'm just staying here for awhile.” _

_   
_ _ “And here I thought only lesbians U-Hauled.” Cece could never help herself. _

_   
_ _ “I'm not even going to merit that with a response.” _

_   
_ _ They were back downstairs in a minute, slowly moving the last of Abby's stuff upstairs. _

_   
_ _ “Okay, but why her?” Cece groaned as she put more weight behind moving the suitcase. “You should just move in with me.” _

_   
_ _ Abby shoot her a look. “You live at home.” _

_   
_ _ “So?!” _

_   
_ _ Abby continued “—With your parents, and your FOUR brothers. How are me AND my baby supposed to fit?” _

  
_ Callie stopped halfway up the stairs, leaning back against the wall with a sigh. “I can't believe you're pregnant.” _

_   
_ _ Her brow knitted in worry. “Yeah, me neither.” _

_   
_ _ “We had plans, you know? Get married together, have kids together.” Cece smirked. “Gradually poison our partners so we can grow old together.” _

_   
_ _ They both laughed. Callie had been seven years old and very excited for her first day of grade two when this tiny human being was unceremoniously plunked in the seat next to hers. She was small, and looked very scared, and so Callie had introduced herself. Little Abby had been moved up two grades over the summer, and didn't know anyone in grade school. _

 

_ By the end of the week, a stupid boy named Marcus had pulled on Abby's hair, and Callie had punched him for it. From that moment on, they had been best friends. _

_   
_ _ The older woman sobered up. “I can barely feed myself, and you're about to have a baby.” _

_   
_ _ They both let their heads fall back against the wall. “Holy shit.” _

_   
_ _ Abby chewed on her bottom lip for a minute, before making a decision. She turned her head to look at Callie. “If I were to keel over and die, would you take the baby, and raise her?” _

_   
_ _ Cece mirrored Abby's movement. “What, you mean like be her godmother?” _

_   
_ _ “Well, yeah. You're my best friend.” She started playing with her sweater. “You may be a walking train wreck sometimes, but you've always been there for me.” _

  
_ Callie picked the suitcase up again, trying her best to hide the tears that started to fall down her cheeks.  _

 

_ Abby frowned as she noticed. “Are you crying?” _

 

_ “What? No!” She did her best to wipe a tear inconspicuously. _

_   
_ _ Abby gaped after her friend, before running up the stairs after her. _

_   
_ _ “You ARE crying!” _

_   
_ _ “Fuck off, I have allergies.” _

_   
_ _ The resident snorted. “Since when?!” _

_   
_ _ Cece stood the suitcase up, making sure to be free of all restraints in order to glare at Abby. _

_   
_ _ “There is no need for this meanness.” _

_   
_ _ Abby kicked one of her boxes out of the way, then grabbed another one to move. “It's not meanness if I'm calling you on your shit.” _

_   
_ _ “You're going to be a mom, aren't you supposed to be all loving, and gentle?!” _

_   
_ _ “No, see that's AFTER the baby.” She rubbed her hand over belly. “Right now, I have back pain, I want to eat everything that I see, and I kind of want to sleep for twelve years.” _

_   
_ _ “I can help with one of those things.” Raven  jogged up behind Abby. “Here, let me take that.” _

_   
_ _ Cece heard the voice before she saw her, as Raven reached around Abby to take the box from her hands. As the older woman's eyes focused, she saw muscles everywhere, and her brain derailed. _

_   
_ _ “You must be Cece.” Raven offered her hand to shake, frowning when Cece didn't do the same. _

_   
_ _ Abby rolled her eyes at her friend. “Give her a minute. Callie loses all brain function in the face of muscles and tank tops.” _

_   
_ _ Raven grinned at that. “I'll go put this away, then. Give her a chance to recover.” _

_   
_ _ Cece came out of her shock in time to hear Raven's laugh echo down the halls. _

_   
_ _ “You BITCH! You couldn't have warned me?!” _

_   
_ _ Abby laughing, “I told you she's a mechanic!” _

_   
_ _ “You DIDN'T tell me she was was a sexy mechanic with a body hard enough to cut glass!” _

_   
_ _ “I didn't want to ruin the surprise.” She turned back around to smirk at her. “Wait til you see her work on a car.” _

_   
_ _ Abby sauntered off after Raven. _

_   
_ _ Cece called out after her, “I hate you, Abigail!” _

_   
_ _ “No, you don't.” _


	3. Chapter Three

“She hit on you?!”

  
“You've actually met Cece, right? She hits on everyone.” Raven couldn’t exactly complain. Cece shows her love by teasing, and she can be merciless in her affection.

  
“Not much anymore.” Clarke runs her finger around the rim of her mug. “She went cold turkey when she was married to Kane.”

  
Raven almost chokes. “Cece married Marcus Kane?! She always said she would rather get thrown out an airlock than get with him!”

  
“It didn't last. He thought he could change and control her.” Abby's smirk is back on Clarke’s face. “And he didn't trust her relationship with Mom.”

  
“Why is that?”

  
The blonde chooses her words carefully. “Because when Callie used to stay over, she would kick Dad out of their bed, and sleep with Mom. And then…” Her eyes drop in sadness. “Yeah. I guess the fact that they were highschool sweethearts made him uncomfortable.”

  
Raven moves to question the mood change, but the timer goes off on the oven.

  
There is a slight limp in the movement as Raven crosses the room. By the time she serves the dish, the blonde pays more attention to how the older woman carries her weight, shifting it to her right leg so she can stretch out her left. Clarke makes a note of the weird behaviour, but let it go.

  
“Was my dad around a lot?”

  
The mechanic chuckles. “Waaay too much. My god, he was like a bad penny.”

  
Clarke makes a note of that too. “Was it weird coparenting with him?”

  
“Weird? No.” The chuckle quickly turns into a laugh. “Have you ever seen two stray dogs fight over a piece of meat?”

  
Clarke's look morphs into a glower, and Raven backpedals.

  
“Not that your mom's a piece of meat!!” She holds up her hands defensively. “She is a brilliant doctor, who should be respected in every aspect of her life.”

  
Clarke doesn't stop glaring, but she eases up. “She's chief trauma surgeon now.”

  
The brunette whistles, “Bravo, Abby.”

  
Clarke nods for a second, before trying to change the subject again.

  
“So you and my dad were fighting like dogs. Why was that?”

 

“It was hard for him, I guess. He had no forms of communication whatsoever at the cottage, so he didn't know Abby was pregnant, and he definitely didn't know about me.” Raven answers as honestly as she can. “By the time he found out, I wasn't exactly ready to leave.”

  
While Clarke scribbles in her notebook, Raven stretches her legs again, turning the food in the oven, before shutting the door again.

  
“Jake was blindsided, and got defensive about it. And, of course, I get ornery when people are defensive around me.”

  
The blonde bites back a comment. She may not remember much about Raven, but she definitely remembered that. Raven was notorious for loving a challenge, but hating to be challenged. Clarke muses that two people with the same personality, but opposite reactions would have caused more than a few problems.

 

“Did you two get along together?” Raven laughs at Clarke's innocent expression.

  
“No. Not at all, not for a while…”

* * *

 

  
_ In some ridiculously ironic parallel, Jake's car broke down about half a mile from the Agro Diner. He called it in, then told Sinclair he was going to hoof it to get food while he waited. (Sinclair said everyone was out on jobs at the moment.) _

_   
_ _ By the time Raven towed his car, she was tired, and crabby, and not in the mood to go out of her way to pick him up. _

_   
_ _ Raven stormed into the diner with no time to waste, and even less patience to give. “Whatever idiot left his car at the side of the road, I'm gonna need you to come with me.” _

_   
_ _ When Jake stepped forward, Raven groaned. _

_   
_ _ “Took you long enough.” _

_   
_ _ Raven rolled her eyes. “Dude, you were not my only call of the day. Chill.” _

_   
_ _ “'Chill'? Are you this pleasant with ALL the customers?” Jake crossed his arms. _

_   
_ _ She gave him the fakest smile she could force.  “Only to the ones I like.” _

_   
_ _ “Of course…” Jake's clipped answer came out under his breath. _

_   
_ _ “What are you doing?” He made no move get up, and Raven looked at him incredulously. _

_   
_ _ The engineer sat down again. “What does it look like?” _

_   
_ _ “It looks like you're just sitting there.” She jabbed her thumb in the direction of the door. “Let's roll, I don't have all day.” _

_   
_ _ “No.” _

_   
_ _ Her response came out slowly. “No?” _

_   
_ _ “You took so long, I ordered food.” He quirked an eyebrow. “You're just going to have to wait for me to finish.” _

_   
_ _ “You're kidding, right?” She looked at him in disbelief. _

_   
_ _ Jake leaned back in his chair, arrogance seeping from every pore. _

_   
_ _ Raven gritted her teeth. “I'm already staying late just to get your car in. I don't have the  _ time _ to wait around for you.” _

_   
_ _ Raven’s eyebrow shot up in challenge, an action that he was quick to match. Their stare-down lasted for a very long few minutes, quickly gaining the attention of many surrounding patrons. _

_   
_ _ It was Jake that conceded first with a shrug. “So leave, then.” _

_   
_ _ Raven didn't have to be told twice. She had one more run before Sinclair would even think to let her leave. Ditching Jake was almost a godsend. _

_   
_ _ The young woman already had the diner door open when she heard Jake call out to her. _

_   
_ _ “I'll just call Abby to come get me.” _

_   
_ _ Raven froze, her entire body tensing as his words washed over her. Her hands curled into fists in three seconds flat, and the entire diner winced. _

_   
_ _ “Abby is supposed to be taking it easy. She's pregnant.” Her was jaw clenched tight enough that Jake could barely make out her words. _

_   
_ _ “Oh, I know.” He smirked. “I was kind of there when it happened.” _

_   
_ _ Raven did her best to choke back a growl, before she turned back around. Off to the side, Aurora Blake covertly shot off a text. “I'm not sure if you've been paying attention, Jacob—” _

_   
_ _ Behind her, Jake scowled at the use of his full name. _

_   
_ _ “—but the hell from work makes Abby sick. She can't be stressed after she gets home.” _

_   
_ _ “I won't stress her out.” And he wouldn't. All he wanted was a few uninterrupted hours to hang out with his friend. But every time he tried, Raven was there. _

_   
_ _ Raven snorted, “Please. Everything about you is stressful.” _

_   
_ _ This time, it was Jake who clenched his jaw. _

_   
_ _ “That so?” He crossed his arms. “Is that why you've be  _ stalking _ me all over town? Reporting everything I do back to Abby to make me look bad?” _

_   
_ _ He stood up to tower over her. His mountainous height was, after all, the most effective intimidation tactic. “You scared of my being around, or something, Reyes?” _

_   
_ _ Raven caught the gesture for what it was, and squared off with him. “Nothing to be scared OF.” _

_   
_ _ “I don't think you'll still be saying that when Abby chooses our kid's  _ real _ dad, over some glorified aunt.” _

_   
_ _ That cut deep. Her presence in the baby's life had been one of Raven's biggest worries since day one, and Jake had hit the nail right one the head. _

_   
_ _ Raven crossed her arm, unconsciously protecting herself from the wounding attack. “If you're going to try to whip your cock out like that, at least wait until it's grown some more.” _

_   
_ _ Everyone in The Ark knew it took a lot to make Jake Griffin mad, and just as much for Raven to lose her cool. And yet, here they were, standing toe-to-toe, about a second away from ripping each other apart. _

_   
_ _ Jake raised his voice. “If you think for one second that you can—” _

_   
_ _ Abby came flying into the diner right then, and took in the whole scene. She was shoving through the crowd in an instant. “HEY! What is the matter with you two?!” _

_   
_ _ Jake's answer came immediately. “She left me stranded for hours while—” _

_   
_ _ Abby cut him off. “Bullshit. Your car broke down, and you left it alone to walk here.” She gives him a pointed glare. “Sinclair called me when he couldn't get a hold of either of you.” _

_   
_ _ Both Jake and Raven immediately reached for their phones. Jake looked sheepish as he realized his cellphone had died. _

_   
_ _ “I left it in the truck…” Raven muttered. _

_   
_ _ Abby's hands went to her hips, tapping her fingers impatiently against her growing belly. “So your car died, and you came here. Why aren't you two at the garage?” _

_   
_ _ The mechanic pointed to him immediately. “He’s being a child! Acting like he ordered food—” _

_   
_ _ “I did order food!” _

_   
_ _ Raven continued. “Then refusing to go anywhere with me.” _

_   
_ _ Abby shot him her best Mom Look. The second she had started showing—the moment when Callie had deemed her impending motherhood “real”—she had jokingly started working on the look. She'd never expected to use it before giving birth. _

_   
_ _ Apparently her practice was worth it because Jake scrambled to answer. “I wasn't going to cancel an order on Vera, Abby.” _

_   
_ _ She completely understood that. Vera was the most kindhearted woman, who always treated everyone like family. She would give the shirt off her back  to a complete stranger, and everyone loved her. The Ark wasn't a big city. Many businesses couldn't afford to waste, and Vera's diner was no different. _

_   
_ _ “And instead of behaving like adults, you two decided to make asinine digs at each other for the sake of, what? Your own arrogance?” Yup, she was definitely rocking the Mom Look. _

_   
_ _ “Please. Like she qualifies as an adult.” Jake rolled his eyes. _

_   
_ _ “I'm not exactly sure you do either.” Abby's voice was stern, the pitch dropping as her irritation rose. “Waiting until Raven was almost here to order food,  _ knowing _ how that would set her back? Are you really that petty?!” _

_   
_ _ “I'm not the only one to blame.” _

_   
_ _ Raven’s answered on instinct, “But YOU start—” _

_   
_ _ The pregnant woman turned to Raven with fury in her eyes. “Finish that sentence, and I will let you have it on principle!” _

_   
_ _ Raven and Jake exchanged a glance, both feeling quite chastised as Abby publically scolded them. _

_   
_ _ Abby took a second to adjust her temper. She could feel her baby’s upset kicks inside of her, and rubbed her stomach to soothe her. “What has gotten into you? Neither of you are usually like this.” _

_   
_ _ Raven went to respond, but Jake cut her off. “I'm just worried about you. I don't want you doing this alone.” _

_   
_ _ “Jake, I'm  _ not _ alone.” This was not the first time they had this discussion, and yet he still refused to grasp the concept. _

_   
_ _ Jake scoffed. “What, are you really counting that girl?” _

_   
_ _ Raven took a challenging step forward, only to be stopped by Abby's arm on her chest. _

_   
_ _ The resident raised her voice. “That  _ woman _ is my girlfriend, and she has been here for me every step of the way. Just because I slept with you, and got pregnant by you, does NOT mean I'm yours. You're a good friend, but that's it.” _

_   
_ _ As much as it hurt him to do so, he backed off. “You're right, I'm sorry.” _

_   
_ _ Raven didn't even have a chance to feel smug, before Abby turned to her. _

_   
_ _ “And you.” Raven winced at her tone, and Abby adjusted. “Raven, I care about you, more than I probably should after such a short time. But you need to know that being with me means not just me. You get a baby, and you get Jake too. If you can't accept that, I don't know how we can go on.” _

_   
_ _ Raven opened her mouth to respond, but one look from her pregnant girlfriend had her nodding mutely. _

_   
_ _ “I may not have been ready to have a baby, but I'm doing it.” She leveled them both with a look. “With or without you.” _

_   
_ _ Abby turned, and walked out of the diner. _ __   
  


* * *

 

 

_ A week later found Abby back at The Agro, with radically different company.  _

_   
_ _ “I leave town for one week, and everything goes to shit.” When half the bloody town had told her what happened, Cece had been pissed. The one time there's drama, and she had missed it. _

 

_ Abby huffed in response, forcing Cece to clarify. “I heard about the fight. How are you?” She crossed one leg over the other, using the gesture to hide her amusement. “Have Raven and Jake made peace?” _

_   
_ _ Abby grumbled. “Jake is being stupid and territorial. He knows Raven is her mom too, but he's being a brat about it. And Raven gets ridiculously abrasive when it comes to him.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Look, I'm no saint, but they're driving me crazy.” _

_   
_ _ “And not in a sexy, orgasm way?” _

_   
_ _ The younger woman glared hard at her. _

_   
_ _ “Okay, let me try that again.” Callie chuckled at Abby's anger. Abby had been upset with her so often since they became friends, the look had ceased ceased to intimidate her.  “So no change?” _

_   
_ _ “They're working on it.” Abby muttered. _

_   
_ _ “What does THAT mean?” _

_   
_ _ Abby sighed. “Raven and Jake are spending the day together. Alone.” _

_   
_ _ Callie's eyes widened in surprise. _

 

_ “Raven told him, if we're all going to be a family, they need to learn how to sort things out like mature adults.” She ran a hand through her hair. “Then they decided that, to do that, they should get to know each other better, so they are bonding at the garage today.” _

_   
_ _ Cece was speechless. Every few seconds, she opened her mouth, but no words came out. _

_   
_ _ Vera was oblivious to Cece’s struggle as she walked over. “Your food will be out any minute. Is there anything else I can get started for you, ladies?” _

_   
_ _ Again, Callie tried to speak, but nothing. Abby decided to order instead. _

_   
_ _ “Maybe a slice of chocolate cake? Thanks, Vera.” _

_   
_ _ “And water, too?” Cece managed to find her voice as Vera was walking off. _

_   
_ _ The older woman gave a nod, and walked away. _

_   
_ _ Abby smirked, “You good?” _

_   
_ _ Callie finally shook out of her stupor. “You can't just tell a girl information like that, then move on like nothing's happened!” _

_   
_ _ “You asked!”  _

_   
_ _ Callie smacked her in the arm, and both women laughed. “At least they're trying, for you.” _

_   
_ _ All that got her was a huff in response. _

_   
_ _ “I thought that was what you wanted.” Ever the peacekeeper, Cece knew Abby couldn't be happy unless everyone closest to her got along. _

_   
_ _ “I do. We're all sort of in this together.” She crossed her arms. “It just feels like my life is straight out of a soap opera right now.” _

_   
_ _ At first, Callie almost laughed at the joke. But the more she thought about it, the more accurate it became. _

_   
_ _ Callie only just managed to bite back a laugh. “Are we talking talking more 'General Hospital', or 'The Young and the Restless'?” _

_   
_ _ The younger woman glared uselessly. “You're not funny.” _

_   
_ _ Mercifully, Abby was saved from hearing Callie's response as Vera came out carrying their food. _

_   
_ _ Cece smiled as the older woman put their plates down in front of them. “This looks amazing, thanks.” _

_   
_ _ Abby nodded, “Thank you, Vee.” _

_   
_ _ “Of course.” She placed a delicate hand on Abby's stomach, and smiled. “I have to make sure that little one is well fed.” _

_   
_ _ She turned, and headed off again. Before Vera could make her way back into the kitchen, Aurora walked into the diner, with her phone to her ear, and six year old Bellamy trailing behind her. _

 

_ Vera put her hands on her hips. “Aurora Blake, if you don't pay attention to where you're going, that thing in your ear is going to be the death of you.” _

 

_ Aurora rolled her eyes, but dutifully ended the call in time to see Vera drop a kiss onto Bellamy's head. _

_   
_ _ “Vera, is Abby here?” Aurora leaned into kiss Vera’s cheek. _

_   
_ _ “Back corner, with Callie.” She nodded her head in their direction. _

_   
_ _ Aurora nodded, then strode over to them. Bellamy fumbled to catch up to his mom. _

_   
_ _ The fashion designer stopping a few feet away from the table. “Did you know your woman and Jake are taking apart a car together?” _

_   
_ _ Abby and Callie were on their feet in a second, leaned over to hug the older woman quickly. Bellamy's face lit up as he saw one of his favourite people, and in an instant, he was diving in to hug Abby around her rounded middle. _

_   
_ _ “They're 'bonding'.” She turned to the little boy. “Hi handsome.” _

_   
_ _ “Hi!” He gave Callie a quick wave, then buried his face back in Abby's side. _

_   
_ _ Aurora shot her a look. “You left them alone together after what happened last week? Are you sure that's a good idea?” _

_   
_ _ Abby clenched her teeth, and took a deep breath. “I trust them.” _

_   
_ _ Between the tense jaw, the stiff neck, and the clenched muscles, Aurora almost laughed at Abby's attempt. _

_   
_ _ “Right, and I'm Cleopatra.” Her voice was dripping with sarcasm. _

_   
_ _ “I don't need to worry about them, I'm here spending time with my best friend.” _

_   
_ _ Cece scoffed, “You make it sound like a burden.” _

_   
_ _ Abby chuckled, sitting back down in her seat, before pulling Bellamy into her lap. Callie followed suit, but making sure to glare at Abby as she did. _

_   
_ _ “Do you want to join us?” She gestured to the empty chair beside her. _

_   
_ _ “I'd love to, but I can't.” Aurora's cellphone rang, and she dug through her purse to find it. “I was actually hoping to ask a favour of you.” _

_   
_ _ Callie and Abby exchanged a glance. Abby absentmindedly picked up a fry, and handed it to Bellamy. _

_   
_ _ “Uh oh…” Callie muttered. _

  
_ Abby spoke over her. “What's going on, Aurora?” _

_   
_ _ “Do you mind watching Bell overnight?” She put a hand over the mouthpiece. “A shipment of fabric from Paris got caught up at the border, so I have to drive up now, so I can get it.” _

_   
_ _ The resident looked baffled. “Sure, that's fine with me, but-” _

_   
_ _ “Thank you!” Aurora took the backpack off her shoulder, and handed it to Abby. “He's already eaten lunch, and he has his usual snacks in the bag. I should be back by dinner tomorrow.” _

_   
_ _ “Okay, but Rory-” _

_   
_ _ Cece fought a laugh at Abby's useless attempt to get Aurora's attention. The older woman crouched down so she was face to face with her son. _

_   
_ _ “Bellamy, I need you to be good for Aunt Abby. Will you do that?” _

_   
_ _ His floppy brown hair bounced as he nodded. “I will, Mommy.” _

_   
_ _ “Good boy.” _

_   
_ __ With a kiss to Bellamy's forehead, and a kiss to Abby and Cece's cheeks, Hurricane Aurora was gone.   



	4. Chapter Four

“You babysat Bellamy? BEFORE I was born?!” The blonde bangs her head against the table. “No wonder he's always lording over me all the time.”

  
Raven can't stop herself from laughing. “Not that night, I didn't. I pulled an all-nighter at the garage.”

  
Clarke smirks at that. “Nice to know I'm not the only one who actively avoids him.”

  
“Aww, so you're not madly in love with him?” Raven is only too happy to tease. “Aurora always hoped you two would end up together.”

  
An absolutely horrified look passes over Clarke's face, and Raven loses it.

  
“I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that.”

  
Raven can only laugh harder. From the time she had met Clarke, Aurora knew Bellamy would keep her safe. In the year before Octavia was born, the young boy looked after his ‘princess’, and Aurora’s mind had soared.

  
Clarke clears her throat, “How did you find out you were going to be a parent?”

  
“Oh, wait. I guess you already...” Clarke frowns down at her notebook.

  
Raven jumps to answer. “Actually, I have one for that too...

* * *

 

  
_ Abby and Raven were standing in the master bedroom of their new house, feeling proud for moving the last of their stuff inside. _

_   
_ _ “Are you SURE you don't mind?” Abby glanced over her shoulder. “Raven, this is a big deal.” _

_   
_ _ “We bought a house together, we're not getting married.” She let the 'yet' hang in the air between them. “I'm just grateful your parents didn't cut you off.” _

_   
_ _ Abby rolled her eyes, “My dad was surprisingly clear: just because they kicked me out, doesn't mean he won't support me. They just didn't want me around to sully their reputation.” _

_   
_ _ Raven could hear the heaviness in Abby's voice. She moved slowly, crossing the room to hug the older woman from behind. _

_   
_ _ Abby sighed as Raven wrapped her arms around her, hands sliding under her overalls to rest on her stomach. She sighed as she leaned back into her girlfriend. _

 

_ Raven rested her chin on Abby's shoulder. “How about charcoal black for our room, and pink for the baby's?” _

_   
_ _ She turned her head to look at her. “I'm not a pink person.” _

_   
_ _ “Oh thank god, me neither.” The young mechanic beamed. _

_   
_ _ Abby chuckled at that. She turned to face Raven, “How about indigo for our room, and then we let Jake decorate the baby's?” _

_   
_ _ Raven ducked her head, trying her best to hide the smirk. “Perfect. That way, if he screws up, I'm off the hook.” _

_   
_ _ Abby went to reply, only to be cut off by a sharp kick to her side. It only took the mechanic a second to recognize the pain that flashed across Abby's face, before she unhooking the straps of her overalls, and slid the denim down to uncover the bump, before kneeling in front of it. _

_   
_ _ Raven spoke softly to Abby's belly. “Hey Princess? It's the world's best mechanic, again. I know you're really excited about the new house, but you've got to ease up a little on your Mommy, okay?” _

_   
_ _ Abby reached down, and ran her hands through Raven's hair. This was just another thing she loved; Raven cared about both of them so much, and never shied away from showing it. _

_   
_ _ “If I'm 'Mommy', does that mean you'll be 'Mama'?” Abby bit her lip hard enough to bleed.  _ _   
_ __ Raven almost gave herself whiplash looking up at Abby. “Wait. Are you saying—?”

_   
_ _ “I'm probably insane for even asking. And I know this isn't exactly what you planned for you life, it's not even what I planned for mine. I just—” _

_   
_ _ Raven surged forward, and kissed her soundly. _

_   
_ _ The kiss left Abby breathless, “I take it that's a yes?” _

_   
_ _ Raven nearly wrenched her neck nodding. “Are you sure?” _

_   
_ _ “Are YOU?” Abby really did love  Raven, but she was also a realist. “A baby is a lot of work. Raven, you're 18.” _

_   
_ _ “ _ Abby _ , you're 23. I don't mind figuring it out together, if you don't?” Raven knew she was ready the day they met, as crazy as that was. _

_   
_ _ Abby paused, then finally answered, “Figuring it out sounds wonderful.” _

_   
_ _ They kissed again, and Raven carefully walked them back until they reached the bed. It didn't take much for Raven to divest Abby of her clothes, helping her onto the bed, before shucking her own. Abby met her halfway, bringing the younger woman into a heated kiss. It didn't take long before hands started to roam, stroking— _

* * *

  
  
“Okay, I get it. I don't need that image in my head.” Clarke shudders. That was bordering on way too much information.

  
Raven lets out a full belly laugh. “Haven't you had sex ed?”

  
“Duh.”

  
“Then that's nothing new.”

  
“That doesn't mean I want to hear about you and my  _ mom _ having sex while she was pregnant with me!” The blonde gags at the thought.   
  


Raven misinterprets the inflection.

  
She tries to keep her voice soft as she speaks. “Is it a lesbian sex thing? I figured since you knew about my relationship with Abby that—”

  
“No! I have a girlfriend, that's not…”

  
They both take in what Clarke admitted at the same time; eyes widening and jaws dropping into matching stunned expressions.

  
“You…” Raven gulps, “Have a girlfriend?”

  
“It's kind of new.” She bites her lip. “I think Mom's having a hard time with it.”

  
“Of course. You're her baby, you know?” The mechanic remembers many a conversation with Abby; always trying to talk her down when her overprotective nature flared up. “She always said she was going to keep you in the house until you were thirty.”

  
Clarke clenches her jaw. “So she's always been ridiculous and overprotective, then?”

  
“Abby loves you more than anything. You should be grateful.” Raven’s face hardened. “Not everyone had a great mom.”

  
Clarke snapped like a wounded animal in a cage. “ _ Abby _ loves me, but you didn't?!”

  
They both try to stare each other down. Clarke had been holding in her anger for years, never having the right target available. But Raven was sitting right in front of her, and twelve years without her  _ hurt _ .

  
But the blonde could see her hurt reflecting in Raven's eyes. The anger, and pain, and exhaustion hiding behind brown eyes, made the teenager pause.

  
She started pushing the remainder of food around her plate, before chancing a glance at her notebook. “Weren't you scared of motherhood?”

  
Raven moves to put her plate in the dishwasher, hoping the distance would ease some of the tension in the room.

  
“Not really.” She shrugs, “I had a lot of practice…”   
  


* * *

 

_ “ABBBBBYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!” _

_   
_ _ Abby bit her lip hard to keep from laughing. Raven had been gung-ho about babysitting Bellamy, expecting the little man to be as sweet and mature as he was during the day after she snuck him sugar at dinner. _

_   
_ _ She was so wrong. “What is it, Raven?” _

_   
_ _ There was a loud splash coming from the bathroom, then Raven let out another shriek, and Abby guffawed from her spot on the couch. _

_   
_ _ Raven’s voice echoed out from the bathroom. “He's trying to kill me!” _

_   
_ _ “I told you not to give him ice cream before his bath.” She tapped her textbook thoughtfully. “Actually, I told you not to give him ice cream, period.” _

_   
_ _ Abby could hear the squelch of soaked socks on the floor seconds before Raven rounded the corner, sending Abby into a full blown laughing fit. The mechanic stood before her girlfriend soaked to the bone, sudsy water splashed onto her clothing, and what looked to be shampoo in her hair. _

_   
_ _ The resident grinned wildly, “What happened?” _

_   
_ _ “I bent down to wash his hair, and he pulled me in!” Raven tugged at her soaked shirt in disdain. _

_   
_ _ Abby noticed a bare six year old bum streak across the hall from the corner of her eye, his favourite Spider-man towel flying behind him. She glanced up at her girlfriend, only to realize the younger woman hadn't noticed. The laughter started all over again. _

_   
_ _ “He's six!” _

_   
_ _ The brunette rolled her eyes. “Oh, ha ha, laugh it up. Not everyone knows how to deal with evil little geniuses.” _

_   
_ _ Abby's eyes shot over to the second couch, where she could see Bell's guilty looking face staring up at her as he continued to hide from his new favourite babysitter. _

_   
_ _ She swallowed down her laughter again. “How did a kid manage to pull you into the tub with him?” _

_   
_ _ “By plotting in his little evil mind…” Raven gritted her teeth. _

 

_ To be fair, he had waited until she was halfway to standing, then used her shifting centre of gravity against her, grabbing onto her shirt, and pulling. But  _ Abby _ didn't need to know that. _

_   
_ _ Abby chuckled again, shooting Bellamy a quick scolding look, before soothing it with a wink. _

_   
_ _ Raven was quick to continue. “By the way, I thought Aurora asked YOU to watch him.” _

_   
_ _ “And I told YOU if you gave him sugar, you could deal with the fallout.” She gestured to the book on her lap. “Besides, I have six chapters to read tonight.” _

_   
_ _ Raven looked down toward Abby's massive textbook, then up to the pleading, yet slightly mischievous brown eyes, and groaned. “Ugh, you owe me, woman!” _

_   
_ _ The mechanic turned, and started her uncomfortable soaking wet shuffle back toward the bathroom. _

_   
_ _ Abby called out to her, “I promise I will make it up to you.” _

_   
_ _ “You'd bet—” She cut herself off in alarm. “BELLAMY BLAKE, WHERE THE FU-HECK DID YOU GO?!” _

_   
_ _ The little boy in question gave his aunt a devastating grin at Raven's distress, and Abby was laughing again. He joined in, giggling until she crooked a finger at him. He pulled his towel around his body, then did a guilty march over to her. _

_   
_ _ Abby lowered her voice, as she helped him towel off. “I thought you were going to go easy on her?” _

_   
_ _ The little man gestured excitedly as he tried to explain himself. “But she was a space lady who dropped down, and tried to invade my home! I had to stop her from radioing for help.” Bellamy gave her his best puppy eyes. “It's not my fault.” _

_   
_ _ “I know, sweetie.” Abby put her hand to his cheek, “But Raven's new to the mommy thing. You've gotta be gentle with her.” _

_   
_ _ He looked thoughtful for a second. Down the hall, they could faintly hear Raven sloshing around in her search for her young charge. _

_   
_ _ “So... Ninjas?” _

_   
_ _ Abby pulled a face at his hopeful suggestion. Bellamy's ninjas game involved his fast little feet taking him into places that only he was small enough to fit. Last time anyone had played with him, he'd ended up crawling through the air vents, while Shumway ran around like a chicken with his head cut off looking for the little boy. _

_   
_ _ “How about you start her off with Cowboys, then maybe work your way up?” Cowboys was safe. It involved both feet on solid ground, and a lot of ridiculous western accents. _

_   
_ _ Bell nodded vigorously, “Okay!” _

_   
_ _ He was off like a shot moments later, the words "reach for the sky!" Pouring out of his mouth, as he raced toward his new playmate. _


	5. Chapter Five

“He ran around naked trying to play space invaders? Bellamy is never going to live that down.” Clarke swallows her bite of food, before shovelling another into her mouth.

  
Raven gestures to the plate of food. “What do you think?”

  
Clarke stops mid-chew when she answers, “It's good.”

  
“But not as good as Abby's, right?” Raven is teasing, of course.

  
“I don't know. You both make it a little different.” She takes another bite, moving it around in her mouth as she compared. “Mom puts way more chocolate in hers.”

  
Raven rolls her eyes, and chuckles. “Oh my god, Abby is like the dictionary definition of a chocoholic.”

  
Her comment has Clarke giggling along with her. “For someone who is always trying to push the benefits of healthy eating, she eats a ridiculous amount of chocolate.”

 

“You want to talk about ridiculous?” She sits back down. “Just after she got over her morning sickness, your mom ate a whole pint of ice cream, and then five chocolate chip cookies in one sitting.”

  
Clarke pulls a face that looked ironically similar to her mother’s. “Eww, that's a stomach ache waiting to happen.”

  
“That's nothing. AFTER you were born…”

  
The blonde cut her off, “Were you there when I was born?”

  
Raven stops mid sentence, and the teen covers. “You don't have to answer it. That's not one of the…”   
  
“I was.”

  
“What…” She backtracks, “Was it bad? Mom never talks about it, and Dad used to tell me to be good to her because of it. Did something bad happen?”

  
The brunette shakes her head. “Nothing out of the ordinary.”

  
Clarke bites her lip awkwardly. Maybe this is exactly the information she needed in order to finish her project. “Tell me about it?”

* * *

 

  
_ When Abby was a week away from her due date, the Physics department of the University put together a 'Gravity and Space Night' in order to bring together some of the best scientific minds in the country to shine light on the program. Jake and Raven, along with six other pairs throughout the department, had been asked to make a presentation in their preferred field, and of course, the duo had waited until the night before to finish it. _

_   
_ _ Abby was having a hard time sleeping to begin with. Every once in awhile, a sharp pain rocked across her back, leaving her entire middle feeling painfully tense. Just as she was falling asleep again, loud, animated voices bounced along the walls, and settled into her head. _

_   
_ _ After half an hour, the woman grew fed up. She forced herself out of bed, and down the stairs toward the source of the commotion. “Hey!” _

_   
_ _ Raven and Jake's heads turned toward her. _

_   
_ _ “I don't mean to be rude, but it's 1am, and I have to be up in four hours.” _

_   
_ _ Two pairs of eyes settled on the clock beside them, before guilt washed over them. The physics majors quickly started to clear their stuff, silently planning to continue after Abby left for the hospital. _

 

_ “Shit.” _

_   
_ _ Jake echoed her sentiment. “Sorry, Abs.” _

_   
_ _ “It's okay, just…” She smiled at them. “Maybe don't leave it to the last minute next time?” _

_   
_ _ She continued to watch them clean up their papers when she happened to catch a glimpse of what is on the computer screen. _

_   
_ _ “Wow, that looks incredible.” Abby makes her way over to them. “What is that?” _

_   
_ _ There was a simulation running on the screen; what appeared to be a spaceship sectioned off with titles, and equations plugged in throughout. There seemed to be twelve areas, each with a specific function, design, and definitions of the major divisions all around. _

 

_ They seemed to be trying to account for as much as possible: Agriculture, Manufacturing and Factory work, Hydro, Mechanical, Power and even a Prison that looked suspiciously like a box in comparison to the other unique station shapes.  _

_   
_ _ Raven was almost bouncing with excitement. “Jake had this awesome idea for sustainable life in space, and—” _

_   
_ _ Jake finished her sentence, “—we got to talking, and started running scenarios to see what we would need.” _

_   
_ _ “Like if there was a nuclear war, and the planet was unable to sustain life.” Abby tensed as the cramp came back. _

 

_ “It's wouldn't be a nuclear war…” Brown eyes whipped around to gape at Jake. “Oh my god, WOULD it be a nuclear war?” _

_   
_ _ “There's a chance.” His fingers were flying across the keyboard in an instant. “So what if we—” _

_   
_ _ Raven pulled out her notebook again, “No, but then we'd have to take into account the radiation levels…” _

_   
_ _ And they’re right back at it again (though, mercifully quieter than before). _

_   
_ _ Abby sighed. “I'll go put the coffee on.” _

_   
_ _ Raven was quick to point to a computing error, before she glanced over to Abby's retreating form. “Hey, what would the effects be in humans?” _

_   
_ _ “Thermal injury, blasting effects, ionized radiation…” She walked back to them, “If the war was on a global scale, the planet would be uninhabitable for hundreds of years.” _

_   
_ _ Raven and Jake exchanged a worried glance. They could finish on time no problem, but they definitely weren't getting any sleep that night. _

_   
_ _ “You work oxygen and population, I figure our mechanics?” The mechanic chewed on her bottom lip in worry. _

_   
_ _ Thankfully, Jake matching her step for step. “We've already got the design down. We just have to make it work.” _

_   
_ _ “You have the areas marked out, but you’d still need to establish parameters with water and food. Hygiene, waste disposal, what can and cannot be grown...” The words were out of Abby’s mouth before she could stop them. _

_   
_ _ The pair glanced at each other again, before giving her a pleading look. They wanted this presentation to be good, if not the best of the year. The whole night could open them up to a lot of opportunities within the science community, and neither Jake nor Raven were arrogant enough to believe they could do it without Abby's help. _

_   
_ _ The resident couldn’t very well turn down the both of them, could she? “Fine, but one of you has to rub my back. I've had a cramp on and off for like an hour.” _

* * *

  
**  
** “What does that have to do with me being born?”

 

Raven grits her teeth in annoyance. “It's important to the narrative. May I continue?”

  
“Yes, please.” Clarke’s reply is sheepish.

 

“Thank you.”

* * *

 

  
_ The next night, almost the whole town was at the Gravity and Space Night, when Abby felt her contractions start to worsen. The young doctor had done her best to ignore the pain throughout the day, but hiding the ripples of pain that passed across her abdomen had become almost impossible.  _

 

_ Abby successfully lasted an hour of mingling before things got bad. She had to excuse herself from a conversation with Dante, in order to grip the back of a nearby chair hard as pain shot through her body. _

_   
_ _ “Talk to me. What's going on?” Raven had spent most of the afternoon and evening watching her girlfriend become progressively more distressed. Every half an hour or so, the older woman would tense up; her breathing becoming more and more laboured. _

_   
_ _ Abby shook her head. _

_   
_ _ The young woman took Abby’s hand off the seat, and held it. “Abby, I want to help.  _ Please _.” _

_   
_ _ Abby opened her eyes, and met Raven's gaze. The mechanic could read every emotion through Abby’s eyes, and noted the pain in the deep brown orbs.  _

 

_ The answer rushed to the forefront of her mind, worry and understanding colouring her features. “When did they start?” _

_   
_ _ The doctor was quiet and tense, “Early this morning.” _

_   
_ _ “When you got out of bed?” _

_   
_ _ “Yeah.” _

_   
_ _ “Oh, Abby.” She put both hands on the front of Abby's stomach, then slid them back to her sides. “Why didn't you tell me?” _

_   
_ _ “They weren't that bad.” Abby didn’t know if she was trying to convince Raven or herself. _

_   
_ _ Jake and Thelonius Jaha walked up to them. Jaha was the oldest of their group; a young man who had been fostered by the Griffins from an early age, and became an older brother to Jake when they were growing up.  _

 

_ Despite being Jake’s best friend, there was something about him that had always made Abby uneasy. _

_   
_ _ He quirked an eyebrow in their direction. “What wasn’t bad?” _

 

_ Raven didn’t take her eyes off her girlfriend. “Abby's in labour.” _

_   
_ _ “Shit!” Jake took a step toward Abby. “Do you need one of us to take you to the hospital?” _

 

_ After months of running a gamut of every emotion at his impending fatherhood, Jake couldn’t help but cycle back to fear. Abby was parent material, always had been. And Raven...she was a kid, but she supported Abby in every single way. Where did that leave him? _

_   
_ _ Abby’s voice pulled him back to the present. “I'll be fine. You've been working on this presentation for months, I can't mess it up for either of you.” _

_   
_ _ “That is SO not our priority right now.” Raven kissed Abby’s cheek, frowning as a tear hit her upper lip. _

_   
_ _ “We have fifteen minutes before the presentations start.” Abby steeled herself. “I'll be fine, okay? I can get through the next three hours.” _

* * *

 

_   
_ _ Famous last words. _

 

_ Abby was sitting with her eyes shut, her head leaning against the back of the chair, as she bit her lip hard against the most recent of her contractions. The time in between had been playing on either side of the twenty minute mark, and Abby had started to panic. _

 

_ Someone quietly sat down next to her, and she doesn't have to open her eyes to know it's Callie. “You got my text.” _

 

_ Physics and School events weren’t really Cece’s scene; instead she had planned for a nice relaxing bubble bath and some tv when her phone went off. _

_   
_ _ “I did.” She placed a hand on Abby's stomach just in time to feel her abdomen harden as another contraction hits. “How are you doing, sweetie?” _

_   
_ _ The pain peaked, and Abby curled into Callie's side, holding tight to her best friend until she could breathe again. _ __   
  


_ “It hurts, Callie.” _

_   
_ _ “How far apart are they?” Cece rubbed Abby’s back, frowning when it did nothing to ease the tension knotted there. _

_   
_ _ Abby checked her watch again. “About fifteen minutes. I know I'm supposed to wait until under ten before going in, but they're really getting stronger.” _

_   
_ _ Callie went to respond, but her buzzing phone beat her to it. She waited until Abby shifted back to her own chair, before she checked the message. _

_   
_ _ Raven’s text started off light enough. “Hey, what are you doing here?” _

_   
_ _ “Abby asked me to come.” Cece texted back one-handed, her other hand moving to hold Abby’s. _

_   
_ _ Callie could see a deep frown appear on Raven’s face from across the room. “I thought she said they weren't that bad.” _

_   
_ _ Cece met her gaze, “She lied.” _

 

_ She watched Raven lean over, and whisper to Jake. Cece squeezed Abby’s hand as she waited for the two of them to finish their discussion. Another text came shortly after.  _

 

_ “Hospital. NOW!” _

_   
_ _ With a brief nod to the worried pair, Cece turned back to Abby. “Can you walk?” _

_   
_ _ “Yeah.” _

_   
_ _ Callie took her hands, and pulled her up. The older woman was grateful Abby's table was at the back of the ballroom, as barely anyone noticed the movement.  _

 

_ Abby tried to steady herself, when another ripple of pain shot through her body. “Shit.” Her grip tightened on Callie's hands. _ _   
_ _   
_ __ Callie pried her right hand out of Abby's left, and wrapped it around her, rubbing her back in comfort. Abby immediately leaned into her.

_   
_ _ Cece typed out a text, “We're heading out. Call me when you're on your way.” _

_   
_ _ She almost had her phone away, before she thought of something else. _

_   
_ _ “And get someone to record the presentation. Abby will be bummed she missed it.” _

* * *

 

_   
_ _ Two hours later, Callie picked up her phone almost as soon as Raven called. “Done yet?” _

_   
_ _ “Not even. They bumped us back so they could take a coffee break.” There was a hint of sadness playing in Raven’s voice. “We won't be out of here for at least another hour.” _

_   
_ _ “Shit. Today really isn't our day, is it?” _

_   
_ _ “Nope.” The mechanic was half whispering outside the crowded ballroom, holding the phone between her ear and her shoulder, “How's it going?” _

_   
_ _ “She's still at five centimetres.” _

_   
_ _ Raven's head snapped upright, grabbing the phone with her hand a nanosecond before it started to fall. _

_   
_ _ “You're kidding.” _

_   
_ _ “Nope.” Cece popped the ‘p’. “Abby's been in active labour for two hours, and she's still only halfway there.” _

_   
_ _ “Is she pissed?” Raven didn’t say it out loud, but she knew she would be. _

_   
_ _ “She's been pretty cool about it, actually.” She glanced back at Abby, “The hairy doc told her walking around would help.” _

_   
_ _ That pulled a smile out of the younger woman. “I take it she's not cooperating.” _

_   
_ _ “I think she took about twenty steps before she decided Nyko is an idiot.” He wasn’t, really. Nyko never failed to be a brilliant gyne fellow, and under any other circumstance, Abby would have valued his input. Just not while her body was preparing to push out another human being. _

_   
_ _ From her side of the phone, Raven could hear a muted, "Fuck!" coming from someone on Callie's end. _

_   
_ _ “Oh, sh—” The sound of Cece rushing down the hall came next. “Hang on a sec, Raven.” _

_   
_ _ The conversation in the hospital halls sounded quiet to Raven; Callie had her phone in her hand, as she tended to what she assumed to be Abby. Raven held the phone a little tighter. _

_   
_ _ “Deep breaths, Ab.” _

_   
_ _ “I really hate when people say that.” _

_   
_ _ Cece spoke softly. “I know you do.” _

_   
_ _ Jake, Sinclair, Kane and Thelonius walked up to Raven. _

_   
_ _ “How far along is she?” Jaha had just gone through the same thing with his new wife, their son Wells having been born less than a month earlier. _

_   
_ _ Raven held up five fingers distractedly. _ __   
  


_ “Five, that's it?!” Marcus frowned.  _

_   
_ _ Raven covered mouthpiece with her hand. “I read it usually takes about six hours to fully dilate. It could take a while.” _

_   
_ _ “Callie, I need to lie down.” Abby sounded as though she had been crying. _

_   
_ _ Cece's voice was back in Raven's ear within a heartbeat. “Her water just broke, so we're heading back to her room.” _

_   
_ _ “Yeah, I heard.” The brunette was unable to keep the worry out of her voice, “Take care of her for me.” _

_   
_ _ “Will do.” Cece might have mentioned the word ‘wheelchair’, but Raven couldn’t be sure. _

_   
_ _ “Tell her I love her?” _

_   
_ _ She could almost hear Callie grinning through the phone. “I'll get right on that. Hurry up, y'hear?” _

_   
_ _ “I will.” _

_   
_ _ Cece didn’t bother with a goodbye, before hanging up the phone. _

* * *

  
  
Clarke interrupts the story again. “Tell me you were there in time.”

  
Raven throws her hands up dramatically. “Will you shush? I'm just getting to the good part!”

  
“Sorry....”

* * *

 

 

_ Raven ran into the hospital room at breakneck speeds. “Hi! I'm here, how's it going?” _

_   
_ _ “How do you THINK it's going?!” _

_   
_ _ Raven took a step back in surprise. The younger woman had thought she'd seen every side of Abby over the last six months. But desperate frustration wasn't even on the list of potential reactions. _

_   
_ _ The resident was in tears as she paced the length of the room on the far side of the hospital bed. One hand was bunched tightly against the fabric of her gown, while the other dragged the IV stand around beside her. _

_   
_ _ Cece whispered in Raven's ear, “The contractions have been really strong for the past hour. She hasn't been happy about it.” _

_   
_ _ “But that means everything's progressing, right?” Raven’s brow knitted; her knowledge of medicine started and stopped with what she’d learned from Abby. _

_   
_ _ “Well—” _

_   
_ _ Abby interrupted loudly, “Where's Jake?” _

_   
_ _ “He's in the waiting room.” She vaguely points behind her. “Why do—” _

_   
_ _ “What the hell is he doing there?! The  _ **_three_ ** _ of us are going to be parents, which means the BOTH of you are going to be in here with me.” _

_   
_ _ Abby's rant was cut off as she bent forward again, grimacing and grabbing the bedsheets with both hands. Raven moved to stand next to Abby, putting one hand on the belly, while the other rubbed Abby's back again until it passed. _

_   
_ _ Raven and Cece exchanged a worried glance over Abby's head. “I—” _

_   
_ _ “I'll get him! You stay here…” She chanced a glance back at Abby. “With her.” _

_   
_ _ Raven couldn’t help but mouth to her. “Escape while you still can.” _

_   
_ _ Callie really didn't need to be told twice. She was running out of the room in seconds. _

_   
_ _ Abby looked at Raven miserably. “Am I really that bad?” _

_   
_ _ Shit.  _

 

_ “No, Abby.” Raven pulled her into a hug. “Cece just hates seeing you in pain. We both do.” _

_   
_ _ Abby just held Raven tighter, sighing as the mechanic tried to rub some of the tension out of her back. _

_   
_ _ Jake fumbled in the door just as another contraction began. He stood there staring at Abby for a few seconds, before the wave hit even harder, causing Raven to start to sway her from side to side. _

_   
_ _ “Contraction?” He sounded almost meek. _

_   
_ _ Abby nodded painfully. _

_   
_ _ The soon-to-be father gave her a sympathetic look, “I am so sorry.” _

_   
_ _ “You freaking should be. This is your fault!” _

_   
_ _ Jake frowned. Abby was having his daughter, but he felt so helpless. Raven was there as her partner, which kind of left him on the sidelines. _

_   
_ _ “Is…” He cleared his throat. “Is there anything I can do?” _

_   
_ _ Abby almost snapped at him again while she continued to cling to Raven. But she knew Jake was already beating himself up for this, and was honestly looking to help in any way he could. She would always love that about him. _

_   
_ _ Abby breathed deeply, “Will you tie my hair back?” _

_   
_ _ He looked almost delighted, proudly showing off the hair bands he had taken to keeping around his wrist after his first week of living with the pair. Between Abby always losing hers, and Raven always having her hands full of tools or parts, Jake was their go-to hair guy. _

_   
_ _ It wasn't the neatest bun ever, but Abby was grateful as her hair was pulled up away from her heated skin. “Thanks, Ja—” _

_   
_ _ Neither Raven nor Jake has time to react before another one hit, leaving Abby struggling to hold her own weight. Raven kissed Abby's forehead, and waited for it to pass. _

* * *

 

  
_ Another three hours, and thirty-seven minutes later, Clarke Griffin was born.  _

 

_ Abby was in bed nursing Clarke while Raven, Jake and Cece sat around her in near-silence. Thelonius was stoic at the door, respectfully keeping his distance as the only person who had not seen her naked. _

_   
_ _ “I may be biased, but I think she's the most beautiful baby I've ever seen.” Raven had been on the verge of tears for hours, and she couldn’t have been happier. _

_   
_ _ “If you're biased, then so am I.” Callie ran a finger over the baby's wrapped toes. “I might have to steal her from you.” _

_   
_ _ Abby’s eyes drooped for just a second, before Clarke started turning away from her breast. “If I had any confidence that you knew how to handle a dirty diaper, I would be concerned.” _

_   
_ _ The group laughed quietly as Callie crinkled her nose in disgust. Cece could be as scrappy as they came, but she couldn’t stand mess. Raven and Jake had a small bet going over how quickly her first diaper change would send her running. _

 

_ Abby used the light moment to burp her new daughter, rubbing Clarke's back until she spit up. Before Abby could even react, Raven was there to wipe Clarke's mouth and chin, and Jake's big hand moved behind the baby's head as she was lowered back against Abby's chest. Thelonius respectfully turned his head at the sight of Abby's bare breasts. _

_   
_ _ “Is that enough? I read that—” Jake frowned slightly as Abby sluggishly adjusted her position. _

_   
_ _ Abby chuckled, moving to bare the other side of her chest. “I'm just switching sides, Jake.” _

_   
_ _ “Sorry.” _

_   
_ _ Thelonius shut his eyes, and shuffled awkwardly. “I'll go find us all something to eat.” _

_   
_ _ He left before anyone could respond. _

_   
_ _ Abby’s dry humour was back. “I take that as a sign to learn to cover up.” _

_   
_ _ Jake shook his head. “It's up to you, but you should never feel the need with us. We're all family.” _

_   
_ _ When he pressed a quick kiss to the crown of her head, Abby ended up fighting a losing battle with her tears. It was a long time before anyone spoke; they were all enraptured as baby Clarke continued to suckle Abby's breast. _

_   
_ _ “Thank you…” Raven’s voice was incredibly quiet as she spoke. “All of you.” _

_   
_ _ “For what?” Cece tilted her head. _

_   
_ _ The mechanic absentmindedly stroked the top of Clarke's head. “I never really had a family before today.” She shrugged, “So thanks.” _

_   
_ _ Cece and Jake gave her a kind smile, before Abby leaned over, and kissed her soundly. _ __   



	6. Chapter Six

“Now it's my turn to ask a question. Do you remember anything about me?” Raven does her best to keep hope from seeping into her voice.

  
Clarke thinks about it; she really does. The teenager knits her brow in thought as she shuffles through her limited early memories for something, any distinct sign of the woman before her.

 

There was always one constant in the forefront of her mind, “You used to hug Mom from behind.”

 

Dark brown hair bobs up and down as she nods, “As the taller woman in the relationship—”

 

Clarke snorts. “Yeah, by half an inch.”

 

The older woman pointedly ignores her, “It was more comfortable for me to hold her. It felt warm and safe.”

 

Clarke can't say it, but she knows. While confiding in Cece one night, Clarke overheard Abby talking about being in Raven's arms. She described the sensual feeling as if she was reciting a sonnet; passion and delicacy weaved into every word.

 

The blonde silently cheers, reveling in the realization they still feel the same way.

  
“You always used to carry around that greasy rag.”

 

Raven reaches into her back pocket, and proudly pulls out her rag. The look of elation on Clarke's face makes the mechanic chuckle.

 

“You still have it?” She can't stop smiling as the older woman nods.

 

“Despite your many efforts to steal it, yes.” She teasingly tosses it in Clarke's face. “You used to come to the garage, and rub grease all over my face as you "helped" me clean up.”

  
Clarke just barely stifles her laugh as she protests, “Not always! Remember your birthday?”

* * *

 

  
_ “Look who it is.” _

_   
_ _ Abby waited until Raven was far enough away from the car she was working on, before she let Clarke run to her. _

_   
_ _ “Hey! I get a visit from my two favourite ladies? It must be a great day.” Raven smiled as her little girl charged right at her. _

_   
_ _ “Happy birfday, Mama!” _ __   
  


_ Two tiny arms wrapped around Raven's legs, and she grinned. “Thank you, Princess.” _

_   
_ _ “I know you are upset you'll be working through your dinner, so we thought would bring you lunch instead.” Abby gestured to the picnic basket in her hand. _

 

_ Raven reached for Abby's free hand, pulling her into deep kiss. Clarke hugged her legs tighter. _

_   
_ _ “This is a great surprise, thank you.” _

_   
_ _ “Oh, this isn't your surprise.” She shot their daughter a cheeky wink. _

 

_ Raven found herself frowning deeply. “It's not?” _

 

_ Clarke shook her head, big blonde curls bouncing over her face. “Uh uh!” _

 

_ “I hope you don't mind, we left it outside.” Abby picked up their giggling little girl, and headed out back.  _

 

_ Raven looked absolutely bewildered, as she stumbled after them. _

 

_ “Jake told me—” _

 

_ Clarke put her hands on her hips, mimicking her mother’s favourite pose. “Mommy!” _

 

_ Abby nodded her apology, “Sorry,  _ us _ , that you were looking for a project, so…” _

 

_ She stepped aside, so Raven could finally see her present. In the garage parking lot, sat a red hardtop muscle car. It wasn't in the best shape; missing a wheel, and severely dented on the left side, but the frame was in near perfect shape, a beautiful red paint job completing the work of art. _

 

_ “You got me a Chevrolet Chevelle…” Raven was breathless. _

_   
_ _ “The previous owner said frame is practically intact, and Sinclair told me the…” She glanced over to him for confirmation. The whole garage hooted in encouragement. “454 cid engine is in there, but not much else-” _

 

_ Raven was in a daze. “You got me a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454.” _

 

_ Abby bit her lip. “Clarke picked it out. She wanted to get you a Roadrunner-” _

_   
_ _ The little blonde shrieked happily, “Beep-beep!” _

_   
_ _ Abby grinned at her, kissing the tip of her nose, before continuing. _ __   
  


_ “But she liked this one second best.” _

_   
_ _ Raven continued to gape at her. _

_   
_ _ The doctor started feeling nervous. Maybe it wasn’t the right car? Whenever Raven talked engines, she usually had a hard time following. Raven’s passion was a beautiful sight to behold, but it usually gave way to complex terms in the middle of mile-a-minute sentences.  _

 

_ “I know it's a bit of a fixer-upper—” _

_   
_ _ She was once again cut off, only this time, as Raven surges forward, and kissed her. _

_   
_ _ “I love you!” She kissed Clarke, who beamed up at her. “Both of you. This is the second best gift I've ever gotten.” _

 

_ A frown pulled at the older woman’s lips. “Second best?” _

 

_ “Well, yeah.” The mechanic put an arm around each of her girls. “The two absolute best are tied.” _

 

_ Abby sighed contently, leaning her forehead against Raven's. _

 

_ “Happy birthday, Raven.” She stroked Raven's cheek with her thumb. “I love you too.” _


	7. Chapter Seven

“That really was the best birthday.” Raven’s tone was wistful. “Though, your mom and I DID almost get arrested that night for having sex in the back of-”

 

Clarke slaps her hands over her ears. “Blech! That's my MOM!”

 

“Parents have sex, you know. That's kind of how you…” she smirks hard, “came into existence.”

 

Clarke gapes at her, then gags. “Why would you say that to me?! You're twisted, you know that?”

 

“So I've been told.” Raven leans back in her chair. “But being twisted means no one knows what to expect from me.”

 

The blonde nods in understanding. Raven goes to tease her again, but stops as she thinks on the whole situation.

 

“Can I ask you a question?”

 

Clarke quirks an eyebrow, and Raven takes that as a yes. “How did you find me?”

 

“I found an old picture of you, me, and Mom when Octavia was over.” She unconsciously mirrors Raven’s position. “She doesn't remember all that much about you, and got curious. We ended up spending half the day hunting for stuff with your name on it.”

 

Clarke had never been more grateful for Abby’s obsessive need to label the backs of all her pictures. The name ‘Raven’ wasn't much to go on, but it was a start.

 

“It's funny; the more she looked, the more stuff we found.” She plays with her pen shyly. “Then Octavia found my birth certificate…”

 

Raven bites the inside of her cheek. “I'm listed as your second parent.”

 

That was one of the hardest things Jake had even done. Everything in him had wanted to claim Clarke as his own. But she was his by blood; Raven didn’t have that connection. She he wrote Raven’s name down, and let her be the legal parent.

 

The blonde nods, “But that was a couple months ago. Then last week, I overheard Mom talking about you with Aunt Callie, so I figured I'd look you up.”

 

Raven muses aloud, “Yeah, but there's a big difference between Facebook stalking me, and finding my home address.”

 

Clarke drops her gaze in guilt, suddenly finding the floor very interesting.

 

“Clarke…” Raven mimicked Abby’s Mom Look from memory.

 

Clarke sighs, “I hacked into the hospital database to get your date of birth and social, then I…” She scratches the back of her neck sheepishly, “I conned my friend Miller into looking you up using police resources.”

 

“You did what now?!”

 

She holds her hands up in defense. “Miller’s dad is the Police Sergeant! All he did was sneak into his office, and use his computer.”

 

The woman’s voice raises in disbelief, “Did you rob a bank, and kidnap a politician too?!”

 

Even in the heat of the moment, the both have to fight back a smile.

 

“No, I swear. And the car is mine, in case you were wondering.”

 

Sarcasm rings through the kitchen. “That's a relief.”

 

“I wouldn't have done it if it wasn't important.” She is adamant at this point, “Raven, I _had_ to find you.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Clarke is back to looking at the floor again, drumming her fingers against the wood table. Raven moves on instinct, grabbing Clarke’s hand in hers, waiting until blue eyes meet hers again.

 

“Clarke, what is going on?”

 

The older woman’s heart breaks as she sees tears well up in Clarke’s eyes. She knew something was up, but it’s obviously worse than Raven originally thought.

 

Clarke clears her throat. This was it, she could finally make her case. “About five years ago, my mom was—”

 

The front door slams shut, rattling both women out of their moment.

 

“Honey, I'm hoooome!” This big, scruffy man tromps into the room, and kisses Raven's cheek. When his eyes fall on Clarke, he straightens up a bit.

 

“Hey, who's this?” Kyle Wick had been a little worried when Raven hadn’t picked up her phone at all in the last few hours. He’d briefly assumed she’d had an accident, or taken ill…

 

He had not expected to see a teenager in her house.

 

The blonde looks between them, taking in the open, relaxed air around them, and the way the man leans over Raven with an almost protective air.

 

It was only as she sees the gold wedding band sitting on his ring finger that Clarke surges into action, standing sharply enough for the chair to scrape against the floor.

 

“Nobody, I was just leaving.” She grabs her book, and shoves it into her bag as quickly as she can.

 

Raven’s eyes widen in alarm. “Wait, don't—”

 

“It was a mistake for me to come here.” There is venom laced in with Clarke’s next words. “Just forget you ever saw me.”

With that, Clarke heads for the door.

  
“Rae, what did I—?” Wick looks back and forth between Raven and the door.

 

The tears in her eyes have him trailing off. “That was Clarke.”

  
“Wait, YOUR Clarke?”

  
Raven nods mutely.   


“Well, I think your Clarke left you a souvenir…” He holds up Clarke's beat up, puffy jacket, and Raven gapes at it.

 

She doesn't waste another second more before running after her.

* * *

 

 

It surprises Raven how easily she catches up to her.

 

“I’m sorry, but I can't forget I saw you.”

 

“Why not, you did it so well last time.” The teenager fumbles with her bag as she looks for her car keys.

 

She grabs her elbow, and turns the girl to face her. “That was different.”

 

“HOW was it different?! You never even TRIED to come back!” She gives up on the search, her eyes blurring as tears threaten to fall. “We needed you! My mom has needed you, and you just moved on with some scruffy grizzly bear, who acts like a 1950’s tv dad!”

 

The mechanic crosses her arms defensively, “Your mom has never needed me. Trust me, Clarke, when I left—”

 

Clarke cuts her off.

 

“Do you know where my mom is right now?” She doesn't wait for an answer, “She's getting a biopsy done on her remaining breast after finding a LUMP a couple weeks ago.”

 

That starts the waterfall, tears falling down her cheeks before she can stop them.

 

“If she has cancer again, if she—” Her voice cracks at the thought. “You're all I have left.”

 

It feels like the wind is knocked right out of Raven’s lungs, and she is left gasping at nothingness.

 

“Abby…” she tries to force the words out again. “Abby had cancer?”

 

Clarke nods only once. “Five years ago.”

* * *

 

  
_Jake snuck into the house, carrying a twelve year old Clarke in his arms. He got their jackets off without waking her, a move he'd perfected while she was still a toddler. Her backpack was a little harder. With middle school came textbooks and homework, the weight of which three the man off balance as he lifted it off the floor._

 

_Before he could make it to the stairs, the light flicked on in the living room, and he found himself staring at a very angry Callie._

_  
_ _“Looks like I lost a bet.” Cece downed half a glass of wine in one gulp._

 _  
_ _“What?”_

 _  
_ _She was slow to stand, doing her best not to react as she noticed Clarke in his arms._

 _  
_ _“The boys told me you'd show up eventually. I thought you'd skipped town for good.” The clipped tone was just about as much calm as she could manage._

 _  
_ _Jake sighed. He walked over, and placed Clarke down on the couch, before leading Callie into the kitchen._

 _  
_ _“I've been at Thelonius', you know that.”_

 _  
_ _“I really DON'T know that, because_ I _have been here taking care of your wife.” She sneered up at him. “You know, since she was_ diagnosed with cancer _.”_

 _  
_ _“Cece, don't.”_

 _  
_ _“Don't what?!” Cece raised her voice. “Is it fun for you, having your little boys nights with Jaha, while your wife is fighting to stay alive?!”_

 _  
_ _Jake moved to get a beer from the fridge, gesturing to Cece in an offering. She shook her head, reaching for a half finished bottle of wine sitting on the counter, and topping up her own glass. Jake almost went to comment, but paused. If Cece had been drinking, she might let it go._

 _  
_ _“You know Abby doesn't want Clarke to see her like this.” Jake's excuse was weak at best._

 _  
_ _“It doesn't mean she doesn't want you around. You're her HUSBAND.” She crossed her arms. “That 'sickness and health' thing wasn't just a suggestion.”_

 _  
_ _He slammed his beer down on the counter, with a growl. “I am trying my best!”_

 _  
_ _“No, you're really not.” She matched his growl perfectly. “You DO know radiation after a lumpectomy is a DAILY thing, don't you?”_

 _  
_ _“Of course I do, come on.” He scoffed._

 _  
_ _Cece curled her lip. “You haven't been inside this house ONCE since radiation started. She's on her fourth week, Jake.”_

 _  
_ _He lowered his voice. “The doctor said she's been taking to it really well.”_

 _  
_ _“Yeah, like she was born in space. It doesn't change the fact that she's having it.”_

 _  
_ _He opened his mouth to comment, but she cut him off._

 _  
_ _“It also doesn't change the fact that she had part of her right breast removed.”_

 _  
_ _Jake wincing. “Callie, please don't.”_

 _  
_ _“Please don't what, mention it?” She shook her head. For someone as smart as he was, Jake Griffin could be dense. “That is your reality. Your wife has stage 2 breast cancer.”_

 _  
_ _“Stop—”_

 _  
_ _Cece didn’t listen. “She had a two centimetre tumor removed, and probably has another two weeks left of radiation. You can't bury your head in the sand.”_

 _  
_ _He took another swig from his beer. “I can't deal with this…”_

 _  
_ _“And why can't you?!” Cece was pacing the length of the room at that point._

 _  
_ _“Because I'm scared! I cannot lose her, Cal.”_

 _  
_ _“You're not the only one who's scared of losing her! I'm scared, too.” Abby had been her everything since she was seven. She honestly didn't know if she could keep going if she was gone. “And Abby, she is terrified she won't live to see Clarke grow up! That doesn't mean you can ABANDON her!”_

 _  
_ _Jake shook his head. “Abby doesn't WANT me here! She wants Raven.”_

 _  
_ _Cece’s reply was quiet._

 

_“I know.”_

_  
_ _The air stood still in the kitchen._

 

 _“Y-you know?” Jake couldn't exactly sure what he was expecting her to say, but that definitely wasn't it._ _  
_   
“I've been trying to find her since Abby was diagnosed.” She pretended she couldn't see him clench his jaw. “Raven Reyes is a ghost, Jake. Which means YOU have to be there.”

 _  
_ _On the other side of the doorway, Clarke ran up the stairs crying._

 _  
_ _Abby woke up to the feeling of someone climbing into bed with her. At first, she assumed it was Callie. Jake had slept on the couch since her diagnosis... And that was only on the rare occasion where he was at home. But as she opened her eyes, she found herself nose-to-nose with her daughter._

 _  
_ _She jerked her head back in surprise,“Clarke?”_

 _  
_ _It didn't take much for Abby to see Clarke was crying. Her eyes were puffy, her nose was running, and her tiny hands were desperately holding on to Abby's baggy t-shirt. The sight alone had Abby pulling her daughter tight into her arms._

 _  
_ _“Clarke, what the matter, sweetie?”_

 _  
_ _There was a little sniffle, and then: “Don't die.”_

 

_Fuck cancer._

_  
_ _Abby could feel her heart breaking. “We talked about this…”_

 _  
_ _“No.” Her eyes bore into her mom's, “Don't die. Mommy_ please _don't die. I need you.”_

 _  
_ _Off near the doorway, Abby heard the sound of Jake and Callie fighting back tears; Jake's gruff, heavy breathing,and Callie's quick sniffle gave them away easily._

 _  
_ _Abby had sworn she wouldn't hope. She would be factual, and strong, and would keep a level head for as long as she could._

 _  
_ _“I know, baby.” She put a hand on her cheek, and wiped her daughter's tears. “I'm going to keep fighting, okay? For you.”_

 _  
_ _Clarke traced a finger along the scar on Abby's breast, almost instinctively finding it, even through the fabric of her shirt._

 _  
_ _“I love you, Mommy.”_

 _  
_ _A sob broke through Abby's lips, and she pulled Clarke tighter still. “I love you, too.”_

* * *

 

  
“She NEEDED you, and you weren't  there.”

 

Raven held her head in her hands. “Clarke, I didn't know. If there's any way…”

 

The blonde glares hard enough to stop Raven mid sentence.

 

“Don't bother!” The teenager doesn't even realize she's shouting. “I drove out here because of some stupid little kid fantasy that the love of my mom's life would just sweep in, and make everything okay. “

 

The venom was back in the teenager’s voice, causing Raven to step back in alarm. Clarke couldn’t believe she’d let herself hope for Raven, especially after all this time. After all her planning, and calculations, she had still gotten taken in by her dreams, and it fucking hurt to have them dashed so thoroughly.

 

“But really, you broke up with her OVER THE PHONE after almost five years together, so you obviously never cared about either of us.” Clarke wipes her tears as she gets into the car. “I should've known better.”

  
She drove off less than a minute later. This time, it was Raven left standing alone.

* * *

 

Abby knocks on Clarke's bedroom door hours later, “I made dinner.”

  
Clarke’s voice is garbled as she shouts from inside her room. “Not hungry!”

  
“Clarke, you've been in there all afternoon.” She leans heavily against the door. “And I know I promised not to yell at you for skipping school…” She mutters, “Even though I very much want to…”

  
The doctor brings her voice back to a normal range.

  
“But you've got to give me something.”

  
“Mom, I don't want to talk about it, okay?!” Abby thinks she can hear a sob from inside the room. “Just leave me alone!”

  
Before Abby can investigate her daughter's mood, the doorbell rings. She goes to answer the door in a distracted rush.

 

The doctor barely acknowledges the woman at the door, her mind circling back to her daughter upstairs. From what she saw, the woman on the porch was in her thirties, long brown hair pulled back into a ponytail. Another quick look and she could see discomfort tensing every muscle, with a well-loved red leather jacket thrown on top.

 

“Can I help you?”

 

“Abby, I—”

 

It's the way she says her name, the delicate gruffness mixed with so much emotion that makes the doctor realize who was standing on her doorstep.

  
“Raven!?” Abby is breathless.

  
Raven forces a smile. “Umm... hi.”


	8. Chapter Eight

There’s a new seriousness about Abby; a heaviness, as if she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. Physically she looks almost the same. Outside of a grey streak here, and a wrinkle there, it’s as if twelve years haven't gone by.

  
“How... What are you doing here?” Abby is floundering. She never once expected to see her ex-fiancée again.

  
Raven holds Clarke's jacket up for Abby to see. “Clarke came to see me this morning.”

  
Abby stares between Raven and the jacket for a long while.

  
The mechanic clears her throat, “Our kid's almost an adult now. I can't believe—”

  
“No, MY kid.” Both Raven and Abby herself are surprised by the sharpness of her tone. “You gave up the right to call her yours when you left us.”

  
That seems to shake the doctor out of her stupor. Abby storms over to the staircase almost immediately, leaving Raven to shut the door. She hangs the coat up in the closet, before following.

  
“CLARKE GRIFFIN, GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW!” Abby bellows.

  
Raven coughs over a laugh as she hears Clarke scramble to get downstairs. The blonde is obviously a hard-headed teenager, but when Abby’s mad, being defiant is not an option.

  
“Mom, I don't want to—”

  
She skids to a halt as she sees Raven standing in their front hallway.

  
“What the hell are you doing here?!” The teenager glowers at her.

  
Raven opens her mouth, but gets cut off.

  
Clarke crosses her arms. “You don't get to suddenly grow a conscience just because I drove to Annapolis to see you.”

  
“You drove all the way to Annapolis?” Abby pinches the bridge of her nose. Her tension headache is coming back with a vengeance. “Clarke!”

  
Clarke rolls her eyes. “It took like an hour with traffic.”

  
“And how exactly did you know where to go?” The doctor is careful to keep her voice level. “Did you just magically wake up knowing her address? Or did a spaceship drop you on her front lawn?!”

  
Raven smirks, “I think a drop ship would be a little too big for my la—”

  
She goes quiet as Abby's furious gaze turns on her. Clarke does her best not to laugh. She knows her mom won't yell in anger. Abby can drop a grown man with just a glance, but it’s rare for her to raise her voice.

  
“I refuse to answer on the grounds that answering may incriminate myself or others.” The blonde looks anywhere but at her mother.

  
Abby purses her lips. “Taking the fifth, huh? That means you conned Nate into committing a crime, and you got everyone else to cover for you.”

  
Clarke stares at her mother in horror, stealthily shooting Octavia a quick, "WE'RE BUSTED!" text from inside her pocket.

  
“Technically speaking, a search on the Police Sergeant’s computer isn't illegal.” Raven shrugs.

  
“It is when David isn't the one DOING the search.” She weighs the pros and cons of ratting Clarke's cohorts.

  
Clarke lets her tone edge on the disrespectful side of sassy. “No one asked you.”

  
Raven frowns. “I was trying to help you.”

  
“I don't NEED your help! Never have, never will.”

  
“Oh yeah?” She smoothly slides into a pointed look. “Remind me again why you came to find me.”

  
Clarke immediately looks at her mother in concern, before turning back to glare at Raven. Abby catches the brief look, her face softening as the pieces fall into place in her mind.

  
Clarke’s voice drops. “Why don't you go back to your  _ husband _ , and leave us alone.”

  
Abby blinks in surprise, her eyes falling to Raven almost immediately.

  
“What husband?” She thinks back to Clarke's time with her. “Wait, you mean Wick?! We're not married.”

  
Clarke shouts, “Bullshit, I saw his wedding ring!”

  
Abby doesn't even bother to scold Clarke for her language. The words 'husband' and 'wedding ring' are rocketing through her mind, making the doctor dizzy.

  
“Wick's married, yeah. But not to me. I'm not…” She falters. “I don't even have…”

  
She turns her head away from the Griffins.

  
“Your mom was it for me.” Raven punches her left thigh lightly.

  
“Forgive me if I don't exactly believe you.” Clarke feels conflicted. Part of her is thrilled; Raven’s standing in in their foyer, and her mom’s right next to her.

 

But most of her is crushed, and all she wants is to lash out.

  
As it turns out, Raven was lashing out too. “I don't need you to—”

  
“Okay!” Abby steps between them before their argument escalates again. “It's obviously been a trying day for the both of you.”

  
Abby fights to stop from rolling her eyes at their identical stances: legs apart, arms crossed, and pouting angrily.

  
“Why don't we ease off for the night, maybe sleep on this until tomorrow?”

  
“'Sleep on it'? What do you mean? She shoots Abby an accusatory look, “She's not staying the night.”

  
“Clarke, it's too late for her to drive back.”

  
“Ummm, I'm standing right here.” Raven waves, turning the attention back to her. “And I'm a grown woman, I can drive in the dark, thank you very much.”

  
“But you won't be. Because whether you like it, or not, the three of us need to finish this conversation.” She points to Clarke, “So you can go sulk in your room, because as much as I appreciate what you were trying to do, you're grounded for the foreseeable future.” Abby turns and points to Raven. “And you can sleep on the couch.”

  
They both huff, and Clarke turns to storm off.

  
The doctor once calling up after her. “Your cellphone, iPad and computer better be sitting outside your door!”

  
Both women hear a strangled yell, before her bedroom door slams shut.

  
“Are you hungry?” Abby’s voice is oddly soft as she spares a glance at her ex.

  
Raven shakes her head, “I ate on the way here.”

  
The doctor nods briefly. “You know where the living room is; I'll go find you something to wear.”

  
The older woman doesn't look at her as she heads upstairs. The mechanic sighs, pulling her phone out to cancel her meetings for the next couple days as she waits for Abby's return.

  
Raven tries not be nosey, but she soon finds herself wandering around the main level of her old house. As with Abby herself, many things had stayed the same with the house. It was notably tidier, but that was more than likely due to her own absence.

  
The older woman didn't even make it all the way back downstairs before Raven had to comment. “I can't believe you kept the couch.”

  
“I can't believe you left it. But then again, I can't believe you left us…” She shuts her eyes tight, ashamed at having let her emotions get the better of her. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that.”

  
Raven shrugs, “I deserved it.”

  
“No, you didn't. I've just-” She runs her hands through her hair in frustration.

  
It's only then that Raven realizes what what all Abby's gone through in the past few hours. “Oh my god, you had a biopsy today.”

  
The doctor moves to the couch, and starts making it up, using the movement to distract from the way her whole body was shaking. Raven immediately follows.

  
“I am such an ass.” Her hand goes to the small of Abby's back the way it used to, only to be shoved away. 

 

“Don’t.” Abby’s hands clench at her sides. “You can’t just waltz back into my life, and act as though nothing has changed.”

 

“I didn’t waltz.You were always the dancer.” Raven swallows. Now is not the time for levity. “I act like nothing has changed because my feelings for you haven’t.”

 

“I’m sorry, I’m being selfish.” The mechanic shuts her eyes tight. “How are you doing with all of this?”

  
“I'm trying to be positive, but…” Abby shakes her head stiffly, “I don't know if I can do this again.”

  
Abby puts her hands on the couch cushions in front of her, bowing her head in defeat as she leans her weight onto the furniture. Raven reacts instinctively, wrapping her arms around Abby's waist, and pressing herself flush against the other woman's back. The act of comfort felt so familiar, and Abby feels a few tears run down her cheeks.

  
“I know I've been a shitty... Well, friend doesn't seem like the right word, and I know I’m overstepping my bounds.” Raven brushes her nose against the back of Abby's neck. “You just looked like you needed to be held.”

 

Abby can't help but look back at Raven, the magnetic pull of the mechanic dragging her in until their lips were a hair's breadth apart. Want and need pulsed with every breath, pulling them impossibly closer to one another until the feeling got too much.

  
She whispered on Raven's lips, “It's been twelve years, and I still…”

  
“I'm right there with you.” Raven bites down on Abby's shoulder, causing the doctor to gasp. “If you wanted, we could try-?”

  
Abby can feel a war raging inside of herself; the rational part of her listing off every single reason why this would be a bad idea, while the rest of her yearned to feel and taste the body she's craved for over a decade. But no matter what, both sides of her keep circling back to one thing.

  
“I would love to, but…” She pulls back just a bit. “Raven, I need to know why you left.”

  
And just like that, Raven's reality came crashing down around her, as she pulled her entire body away from Abby.

  
The mechanic clears her throat, “You know, I'm really tired.”

  
“Wow, okay.” Abby wrapped her arms around herself defensively.

  
Raven opened her mouth, only to close it uselessly, having no response to to give her ex-fiancée.

  
It doesn’t matter. Abby filled the silence instead. “Enjoy the couch.”


	9. Chapter Nine

Abby tiptoes downstairs at just after one in the morning, armed with nothing but her cellphone in case of emergencies. As much as she hates to admit it, sneaking midnight cookies has been her guilty pleasure for as long as she could remember. Even as an adult, she can't quite shake the habit.

  
She almost misses the last step, landing hard enough to break the near silence that had enveloped the household. She glances over into the living room, eyes scanning to make sure she hasn't woken Raven. As her eyes were moving away, her gaze locks on an object leaning against the edge of the couch.

  
Abby slides her glasses back down onto her nose, and letting her vision sharpen as she inches closer. The doctor reaches out to brush her fingers over it before she can even stop herself.

  
The first thing she notices is the workmanship: beautiful pieces of dark metal bended, and shaped to form a sturdy top, and a strong, slender trunk. She crouches lower, inspecting the pieces clearly built to absorb shock, letting her eyes continue to wander. It's only as she leans the piece towards her, that Abby can plainly see what she is looking at.

  
“Oh my god.” She stands up in shock.

  
“You finally stopped fighting the optometrist, huh?”

  
Raven opened her eyes to see a bespectacled Abby standing in front of her, and almost laughed. In their last year together, Abby had done everything in her power to avoid getting glasses. It was only after months of chronic headaches that she had caved, only wearing her glasses when absolutely necessary.

  
Raven can count on one hand the number of times she could remember seeing them on Abby's face.

  
“Raven, is this-” She raises the leg into Raven's line of sight.

  
Raven freezes at the sight of her prosthetic. She hadn't wanted this to happen. Raven had vowed never to let Abby look at her like a patient, or a case study, and here she is doing just that.

  
It takes everything in her for Raven not to bolt again.

  
“Let me see.” Abby’s voice is heavy with emotion.

  
Raven shakes her head firmly. “You don't want to see it, Abby.”

  
“For God's sake-!” She bites down on her lip, and brings her voice back to a whisper. “Please let me see your leg, Raven.”

  
Abby isn't expecting her to move, but soon enough, Raven shifts back to sit against the arm of the couch. The younger woman takes a deep breath in, before pulling the blanket away from her.

 

“I don't want your pity-”

 

Abby shakes her head in frustration. “This is NOT about pity.”

 

She sits down just below Raven's stump, and puts her hand on her knee.

 

“I was ready to be your  _ wife _ , I could have supported you.”

 

“That's not what I wanted!” Raven is near tears. “I wanted us to start our life together as equals, not with you taking care of an amputee.”

 

Neither woman can look at each other.

 

Ever the doctor, Abby rubs her finger just above the scar. “The surgeon did good work.”

 

“Yeah. They said my physical recovery was pretty quick considering.” She flexes her leg, letting the stump scuff the air awkwardly.

 

Abby clears her throat, doing her best not cry. “What  _ happened _ , Raven?”

 

“This kid, Murphy was working on a car, and it slipped off its support.” She shrugs, “I saw it before he did.”

 

She shifts uncomfortably.

 

“I managed to roll his creeper out of the way, but my leg got caught…”

* * *

 

  
_ Wick shuffled into Raven's hospital room a few minutes after the doctors and nurses had cleared out. The room felt heavy, the choking feeling of finality weighing on the pair, as they sat in silence. _

_   
_ _ It was only as Wick shifted again, switching legs as he leaned against the wall, that Raven spoke up. “I need you to go and pack all my stuff, and take it to yours.” _

_   
_ _ Wick tapped his foot a few times. He’d always hated hospitals, ever since his mother had died. “What for? It wasn't your fault, Sinclair will understand that.” _

_   
_ _ Raven shut her eyes tight over his misinterpretation. Her resolve almost broke then and there. “That's not what I meant…” She cleared her throat, and tried again. “I need you to get my stuff from the house.” _

_   
_ _ Wick stood up straight, and stared at her. “... You're kidding, right?” _

_   
_ _ She didn't answer, and refused to meet his gaze. _

_   
_ _ “Are you freaking serious, Raven?! You're going to cut and run?” _

_   
_ _ “It's not that simple.” Raven looked away. _

_   
_ _ “You leaving your fiancée and your DAUGHTER because of some freak accident, with no warning?! It really is that simple.” He spat at her. “You're a coward, Reyes.” _

_   
_ _ Her head whipped back toward him. “Screw you!” _

_   
_ _ Wick felt disgust coil in his throat, and swallowed to keep it down. “Screw me?! You are running away from something amazing just because your pride was wounded! That's the definiti-” _

_   
_ _ Raven cut him off sharply, “The doctor is going to take my leg!” _

_   
_ _ “They.... What?” Wick sat down hard in the chair at her bedside. _ _   
_ _   
_ __ She clenched her jaw as she fought back tears. “My leg was crushed under that car. They had to wait four hours to confirm cell death. Apparently, there is too much damage to even consider saving it.”

_   
_ _ Wick reached out to hold her hand, but she shrugged him off. _

_   
_ _ “If I don't have my leg, I can't work. Not at the garage, and certainly not at NASA.” _

_   
_ _ Kyle shook his head, “That's not-” _

_   
_ _ Raven cut him off again, “I have months, maybe years of rehab and physio in front of me, and it will cost a small fortune. I'm not going to make Abby support for me AND a five year old, while I am sitting around broke, and…” She punched at her left thigh in anger. _

_   
_ _ The engineer pulled out his phone. “I don't care what you say. Abby should be here-” _

_   
_ _ “Damn it, Kyle!” _

_   
_ _ Raven leaned out of the bed to make a grab for the device, realizing too late that her left leg could no longer stabilize her. Kyle moved quickly to stop her from falling, a movement that added just another tinge of fury in Raven's voice. _

_   
_ _ “This is exactly my point. Abby deserves to have a partner, not a live-in patient.” _

_   
_ _ Wick raised his voice, “And what about Clarke? She needs you!” _

 

_ “You don't know what it's like growing up with a useless excuse for a mother! My entire childhood was spent looking after mine. I won't…”  _

 

_ She shook her head, wiping her tears as she steeled herself for her next statement. _ __   
  


_ “Clarke already has two parents. She doesn't need a third.” She turned her head away from him. “It's better for everyone this way.” _ _   
_ _ * _

_   
_ _ Callie kept her voice low as she spoke on the phone. “She'd better be dead.” _

_   
_ _ Sinclair sighed, “Cece....” _

_   
_ _ “No, she'd better be dead in some ditch somewhere, because if not, I'm going to kill her.” Cece shoved a hand through her hair. “She broke up with her  _ over the phone _ , Sinclair, with no warning! One minute I'm planning their wedding, and the next, this nursing student Jackson is calling me to get Abby because she broke down in the middle of the hospital.” _

_   
_ _ She paced the length of the living room again, fury fueling her every step.  _

 

_ “You’re going to wear a hole in Abby’s grandmother’s rug if you don’t stop.” Aurora Blake poked her head out of the kitchen.  _

 

_ Of course, a crash, and three separate giggles has her ducking back inside again. She should have known better than to take her eyes off of Bellamy, Clarke, and Octavia. _

_   
_ _ Cece hissed into the phone. “I swear to God, Sinclair, if I find Raven Reyes, I'm going to use her head as a freaking hood ornament.” _

_   
_ _ Sinclair opened his mouth to respond, but she cut him off. _

_   
_ _ “And if I find out you know where she is, you can sit on my mantelpiece, right next to my grandfather's urn!”  _

_   
_ _ Sinclair stumbled over his words as he rushed to answer. Callie Cartwig never made empty threats. “I don't know, Callie, I swear! One minute she and Wick are in town, and the next, they're gone.” _

_   
_ _ “No forwarding address, no emergency number..?” _ __   
  


_ Sinclair glared hard at Wick, who at least has the decency to look guilty. They both chanced a glance out of Sinclair's office window at Raven, who sat in Wick's truck, looking absolutely dreadful. _

_   
_ _ Sinclair sighed heavily. “Nothing, Callie. How's Abby doing?” _

_   
_ _ “She hasn't come out of her room once in over a week. She doesn't eat; though she has humoured me by drinking a glass of water every day. And the first day she cried so hard she made herself sick.” _

_   
_ _ Wick opened his mouth to comment, then just hanged his head sadly. They were all family; Raven may have broken up with Abby, but leaving was hurting every one of them. _

_   
_ _ Cece slammed her hand into a pillow. “The rational part of me knows Abby will be fine eventually. But right now, it really doesn't feel like it.” _ __   


* * *

 

“And then you made the leg. That's incredible, Raven.”

 

The older woman shifts further into the back of the couch. They're both laying on their sides, facing each other; Abby with her back to the couch, and Raven on the outside. Every so often, the mechanic raises her left leg and stretches, loosening tight muscles used to lift and move a heavy prosthetic.

 

“It took a long time.” Raven wrinkled her nose. “At first, I refused to even consider one; I sort of did my best with crutches.”

 

The soft rumble of Abby's chuckle moves through the air.

 

“You clearly still have your stubborn streak.”

 

“I have no idea what you're talking about.” The mechanic laughs, unable to keep a straight face. “The leg seemed so final, you know? Like, it felt like I was losing myself.”

 

Abby nods in understanding.

 

“Then one day, Wick just storms in, and hands me this…” She gestures wildly, “ _ Thing _ .”

 

That had been quite the sight. Wick looked so smug while brandishing his design, much to Raven’s annoyance. If she were honest, the design wasn't bad, but the way it was put together barely would have lasted an hour of use.

 

Wick had been successful in his endeavour to get the old Raven back. His prosthetic riled her up so much that she spent the rest of the day in the garage, cursing his utter uselessness as she molded and crafted what soon became an extension to her own body.

 

“It was basically a pogo stick with a plunger attached, to be honest.” She shakes her head with a laugh.

 

Abby smiles along with her. “What was it you always used to say? ‘Engineers can design no problem, but they could botch making a pot of coffee.’”

 

“My point exactly.” Raven’s smile was bright enough to light the entire block. “Just LOOKING at that disgrace of a leg was enough to get me working on my own. And once I was building, I had no excuse not to start working again.”

 

“Do you still work on cars, or was your leg the first step in you expanding?”

 

“I do a bit of everything now; cars, the prosthetics…” Raven’s expression turns proudly, “I've done a couple projects for NASA.”

 

Abby's grin takes over her face, laugh lines and cheekbones out on display the way they always used to be. Raven grinned right back.

 

“You did it. I can't believe you got in with NASA.” Abby’s face softens.

 

“I did! I sometimes make things blow up!”

 

The smile on her face falls a bit as the doctor eyes her suspiciously. “Accidentally, or on purpose?”

 

In her experience, it was usually a tossup when it came to Raven Reyes.

 

The devious mechanic shoots her a cheeky wink. “That's classified.”

 

Abby rolls her eyes, then sidelines the conversation. It was probably best if she DIDN’T know the specifics.

 

“You know, we have an ortho surgeon and a prosthetist who would love to see your design. They've been doing research to improve form and function in their limbs. I think they'd love you.”

 

Raven is hesitant, “Would that be okay? I don't want to step on any toes… so to speak.”

 

“Of course.” The side of Abby’s lip twitches, as she pulls out her phone. “I'll have to text Callie and let her know, but otherwise-”

 

Abby cuts herself off when she sees Raven's face fall.

 

“What's wrong?”

 

“Callie Cartwig?” Raven clears her throat.

 

The doctor hits send, then puts her phone down. “The one and only.”

 

“Cece won’t go for it. She wants me dead.” Much to Raven’s distress, Abby laughs.

 

“She never said she was going to kill you.” Her voice takes on a teasing tone, “Just use your head as a hood ornament.”

 

THe brunette looks increasingly horrified. “Like that's better!?”

 

“Don't worry, she's gotten over the anger at you leaving.” She bites her lip, “I can't account for the cancer thing, though.”

 

Both women sober rather quickly at the thought. The entire reason why Raven was back was because of Abby's biopsy. Everything was out on the table this time; Raven wasn't running, and they both knew where they stood.

 

Raven didn't know if she could take losing Abby again, especially not to cancer.

 

“Can I see it?” Raven is serious as she clarifies, “Your breast.”

 

“Raven, it's not…” She sighs.

 

“Hey.” The mechanic puts a hand on her cheek. “You don't have to show me if you don't want to. But I do get it.”

 

Abby shuts her eyes tight, before lifting her shirt. The smooth fabric slides up higher and higher, showing the mechanic skin she had longed for for twelve years. She stalls just below her breast, before moving it up to her collarbone.

 

The scar runs from the side of her right breast down over the swell. Raven’s calloused fingers were hesitant as they move to follow the scar, stopping directly where her nipple should have been.

 

Abby clears her throat, “The tumor was right behind my areola, so they had to take it and the nipple.”

 

“We match!” Raven intended to go for levity, but sadness creeps into her voice. “Your nipple, my foot…”

 

Abby quirks a humourless smile. “We're quite the pair, aren't we?”

 

“We are indeed.” It's only then that Raven realizes her hand is still cupping Abby’s breast. “Shit, sorry!”

 

Abby’s hand shoots out, and holds Raven’s in place.

 

“Stay, please.” Abby shakes her head just as her tears start to fall.

 

Despite the turbulence of the statement, Raven understands. Having someone else see her- scars, losses, and all -left Abby feeling bare and vulnerable. And having the freedom to be vulnerable was something she hasn’t experienced in a long time; it was something she desperately needed.

 

“I'm not leaving you, Ab. Not again.”

 

It takes only moments for the floodgates to open, the older woman's body convulsing with sobs as the mechanic pulls her in. A weight that had been sitting on Abby’s shoulders for five years was lifted, her burden choking her as it finally left her body. She seamlessly melds into place atop of Raven’s body, once again fitting together perfectly, the way they always have.

  
Raven slides one hand away from the bared breast, moving it to rest on the small of Abby’s back, while her other hand gently scratches at her scalp. It was well into the morning’s second hour before the surgeon’s sobs died, her breath evening out against the crook of Raven’s neck. It wasn't long after that Raven joins her in slumber.


	10. Chapter Ten

“She's not what I expected.”

 

“Me neither.”

 

“I can't believe Abby let her stay…”

 

“What did you expect, Cece. You remember what Aunt Abby was like with her.”

 

“Did you see her leg, though? She left so she wouldn't be a burden!”

 

“Uggh, stop being such a  _ romantic,  _ Octavia!”

 

Abby groans, “Of course she picks the one morning I have off to get up early.”

 

The chest below her rumbles with laughter. “Apparently conspiratorial ‘whispers’ wait for no woman.”

 

Abby’s reply is gruff, “Clarke whispers the way you do: not at all.”

 

She lifts her head, meeting Raven’s twinkling brown eyes almost immediately.

 

“Good morning.”

 

The mechanic grins. “Morning!”

 

Abby sighs contently, before realizing her full weight was on the woman below her. She doesn't waste any time before shifting off of Raven, and moving to the end of the couch.

 

“I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep on you.”

 

“Hey, don't worry.” Raven swings her legs over the side of the couch, and scooches next to Abby. “I always love having you in my arms.”

 

Abby rolls her eyes, knocking shoulders with the mechanic. Raven laughs as she's shifted off balance, before she goes for her leg: first suction liner and pin which molded to her skin and connected with the prosthetic, then her sock to protect her skin, and finally she clicked her leg into place just as the “whispers” started up again.

 

“Did you hear that?”

 

“I think they're awake.”

 

It goes quiet for another few seconds before a very distinctive voice makes its way into the living room.

 

“You two had better get your asses in here!”

 

Raven’s entire body tenses. “That's Cece, isn't it?”

 

The older woman chuckles as she stands, bending down to place a tender kiss to Raven's lips. “And you were worried about seeing ME again…”

 

She takes Raven's hands, and hauls her to standing. Abby only releases one of her hands as she heads in to face the music.

 

“What happened to “she won't kill you, she's over it”?” Raven hisses in her ear.

 

Abby doesn't get a chance to reply before they is standing in the kitchen.

 

Raven takes in the five people before her: Cece was obvious, having aged as gracefully as her best friend, but with a stern edge to her piercing gaze. In front of her was Clarke, arms crossed as she tried to look irritated. On the other side of the counter, were two young women she didn't quite recognize, and a young man standing in the far back. It was the man that pulled a gasp from Raven's lips; a familiar half smile playing on a freckles covering face.

 

“Oh my god, Bellamy?”

 

Bellamy gives her his cheeky smile, the one he reserved only for her. “Hey Aunt Raven.”

 

She nudges Abby, “Abby, he's a MAN. I can't believe that.”

 

Screw solidarity. Bellamy moves past the women, before sweeping Raven into a big hug. Raven had been one of his favourite people in town, and he's missed her terribly. Clarke may have called them frantic for support in the face of Raven's return, but that didn't erase years of love.

 

Raven slugs him on the arm. “Jeez, what is your mom feeding you?”

 

“Everything she doesn't feed Octavia.” He nods his head back towards his little sister.

 

She blinks, “Octavia?”

 

Raven takes a dazed step towards the young girl, alarmed she hadn't recognized her before. Between the sparking eyes, and the roundness of her face, it was unmistakable who’s daughter she was.

 

“You look just like Aurora.” She winks, “Only more mischievous.”

 

Bell snorts. “You're not wrong.”

 

“I looked more like her when I was younger.” Octavia crosses her arms, and glares. “Too bad you weren't around back then.”

 

The mechanic’s face falls, and Abby holds her hand just a bit tighter.

 

“She has no one to blame but herself.”

 

The room falls silent, watching with rapt interest to see what Cece does, and Callie does not disappoint. “Do you remember what I said would happen if you hurt her, and I ever saw you again?”

 

The mechanic bites her lip. “You told me I wouldn't have a body left for them to find.”

 

Boy, did she remember that threat. They had arrived early to pick Abby up from work, ready to spend a relaxing night eating Chinese food, and trading gossip. Out of nowhere, Callie pinned Raven to the hood of the car, snarling out a threat violent enough to make mobsters cry. 

 

Raven would never forget Callie's words for as long as she lived.

 

Cece takes a menacing step forward. To everyone's surprise (Raven's more than anyone's), Raven doesn't even flinch.

 

“I don't give second chances very often, and I sure as shit don't give thirds.” She levels her with a look. “If you hurt Abby and Clarke again, we will  _ not _ be responsible for my actions.”

 

“We?”

 

It was Lexa who stepped forward, crossing her arms in intimidation. “Yeah, ‘we’.”

 

Raven inclines her head towards the girl, before glancing back at Abby. She knew Cece didn't bluff when it came to threats. But this younger girl gave the impression that she was even scarier.

 

“That would be Clarke’s girlfriend, Lexa.” Abby clenches her jaw. “I once had to put six titanium pins in the one and only guy who ever challenged her to a fight.”

 

Raven's eyes widen as they fly back to Lexa’s serious face. “Oh shit!”

 

“Like I said, you break their hearts, WE break you.” Cece gives her a menacing smile. “Are we clear?”

 

Raven gulps, “Crystal.”

 

Cece waits a beat longer, before tugging Raven into a hug.

 

“Good, because we have so much to talk about.” She pulls back in order to give her an appreciative look. “The first of which being the fact that you got even sexier, and that's saying something.”

 

The mechanic laughs in relief, “Me? Look who's talking, Miss Fine Wine. You do know people are supposed to AGE, right?”

 

And they're off. Cece and Raven start talking a mile a minute as if no time had passed. Every so often, Bellamy chimes in, with Octavia nodding along, excited but wary of the woman who used to be her aunt. Abby glances over in time to catch Lexa moving to comfort Clarke, and moves to follow. She gives her daughter time with her girlfriend, before pulling the blonde into a hug.

 

“So what, she just comes back, and everything is fine?”

 

Abby rubs circles on her back. “Not at all. But it's better.”

 

“For you, maybe.” The blonde shakes her head. “I'm not sure if I'm ready to forgive her, yet.”

 

“I'm not asking you to be.” Abby places a hand on Clarke’s cheek. “I'm just asking that you be open to it.”

 

Clarke opens her mouth to reply, only to be cut off by the phone ringing. Both Griffin women sighed, before Abby moves to grab it.

 

“Griffin residence.” Abby listens for a moment, before walking out of the room. “Yes, this is Doctor Griffin…”

 

Cece stopped talking immediately, watching her best friend leave with razor-sharp eyes.

 

“Aunt Callie, what’s going on?”

 

Cece shakes her head. Too many thoughts and possibilities were playing in her mind; she didn’t want or need to worry anyone by voicing them.

 

She shifts her gaze to Raven “Reyes, how do you feel about coffee?”

 

“Do you mean, my personal oxygen?” Raven smirks.

 

Callie does the most adult thing she can think of, and sticks her tongue out at the woman.

 

“I’m sorry for yelling at you yesterday.” Clarke really did feel bad about that.

 

Everyone came to a grinding halt.

 

Raven seemed taken aback. “Oh, you don’t have to-...”

 

It’s only as she looks over at Clarke that she sees the olive branch being offered.

 

“It’s okay.” Raven she clears her throat. “I appreciate the apology”

 

At Clarke’s nod, there was an easiness that settled over the kitchen. Callie lets Clarke and Raven sit quietly as she shifts the conversation towards Octavia’s newest crush.

 

“O, don’t think you can get out of telling me about this Lincoln boy.”

 

“What Lincoln boy?!” Bellamy's voice is just a little too loud.

  
Octavia fights a blush. :He’s not a boy, Aunt Cece.”

 

“No, he’s not.” The sternness is back in Lexa’s voice. “my cousin.”

 

“The old one?!” Bellamys’s voice was climbing towards a shriek. “With the tattoos?!”

 

“Oh, Indra’s kid!” Cece’s brow knit in confusion. “I understand he close to thirty, now?”

 

Bellamy turns to his baby sister, eyes wide in alarm.

 

“He’s what?!” The crack in his voice had both Clarke and Raven chuckling.

 

Octavia voice is sharp, “Aunt  _ Cece _ !”

 

Cece scratches the back of her neck sheepishly. “What? You’ve been dodging my texts for two weeks!”

 

Octavia frowns, only to have it deepen as Bellamy starts shouting his disapproval. The kitchen was filled with the sound of a playful, and loving banter by the time Abby stepped back inside.

 

Lexa was the first to notice, letting out a quick gasp at the tears on the older woman’s face. It didn’t take long before stillness settled over the room.

 

“Mom?”

 

Abby shuts her eyes against the tears welling up in her eyes.

 

Callie is careful, “Abby, what’s going on?”

 

“That was the lab…”

 

The whole room fights not to react as they watch tears fall down her cheeks, reaching out to hold hands with the person closest to them until Clarke found herself holding onto Raven and Lexa, while Octavia had a death grip on Bellamy and Cece.

 

The doctor lets out a laugh within a sob, “It's not cancer.”

 

As soon as her brain registers what was said, Clarke charges at her, hugging her mom as tightly as she can. As the Griffins hug, everyone else sighed in relief.

 

“So you're okay, Aunt Abby?” Octavia chews her bottom lip.

 

Abby cradles Clarke's head as she cries happy tears into her shoulder. “Yes, ‘Tavia, I am.”

 

Abby soon finds herself with another teenager in her arms. The doctor pressed a kiss to both their foreheads.

 

Bellamy gives them a minute before he follows, dragging Lexa over so they can both pile into the hug. Abby chokes out a laugh as all her pseudo-children encase her front in a ridiculous, and wonderful group hug.

 

Raven nudges Cece. “There's a spot left. Do you-?”

 

“No, no. I'll get to her after. You go.”

 

Raven did not need her to tell her twice. The mechanic walks carefully, stretching her leg out for a moment before moving in behind Abby. No matter what happens, they always fit together perfectly, Raven pulling Abby flush up against her, her arms encircling her waist, as she leaned her head between Abby’s shoulder blades.

 

It was a beautiful moment between a large, and slightly unconventional family… So of course, Callie had to interrupt it (after snapping a quick picture, of course).

 

Callie does her best to keep a straight face. “I see you're back in your favourite position, huh?” She smirks hard. “Behind Abby.”

 

Abby goes beet red, and the kids look between the three of them in confusion.

 

The mechanic hisses. “I thought we agreed to never bring that up again!”

 

“Please! Catching you and Abby in that  _ particular _ compromising position was the highlight of my life!”

 

There a pause, then Lexa snorts out a laugh. Soon enough, everyone else clues in.

 

Clarke gags. “Ew, I did not need that image in my head! They’re my moms!”

 

No one could be sure who jerked their head towards her faster: Abby or Raven.

 

The blonde backpedals. “I mean, legally.”

 

Raven not breaking her eye contact with Clarke. “What about personally?”

 

The blonde weighs it out in her head, before she replies. “We’ll get there.”

 

Raven nods once, tears welling up in her eyes, before she tightens her grip on Abby’s waist. The doctor feels the reaction, and moves with it, reaching up to run her hands through Raven’s hair. The yearning from the night before was back, only this time they succumbed, their lips meeting in kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so this fic came about in many random ways. The first of which was the idea that Raven was originally supposed to be 35 years old in the pilot. I just kind of went from there.


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